NASA's Artemis II mission successfully performed a translunar injection burn, sending four astronauts on a free-return trajectory around the Moon for the first time since 1972. The Orion spacecraft's systems, including life support and propulsion, are functioning well with only minor issues. The crew will orbit the Moon before returning to Earth for a Pacific splashdown on April 10.
Background
NASA's Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon and establish sustainable exploration, with Artemis II being the first crewed mission. The last human Moon mission was Apollo 17 in 1972.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Apr 3, 2026 at 10:17 AM
- Score
- 9.0 / 10