NASA's Artemis II launches Orion capsule, advances Moon return effort
NASA's Artemis II has officially taken off, putting humans one step closer to returning to the Moon.
The Orion capsule is now orbiting Earth after a smooth ride on the powerful Space Launch System rocket, and everything's set for some key mission moves in the next couple of days.
Artemis II crew to test proximity
The crew will kick things off with a proximity test (think of it as practice for future lunar dockings) with Pilot Victor Glover at the controls.
After a quick rest, Mission Specialist Christina Koch will spend her morning preparing Orion for the translunar injection burn that sets Orion on course for the Moon.
They'll also check out their deep-space communications systems before heading back for a splashdown around April 10.
Artemis II is paving the way for future Artemis missions.