Tech · Wired
At 6:35 pm ET on April 2, a Space Launch System rocket lifted an Orion capsule from Earth
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On board were Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.
Key facts
- At 6:35 pm ET on April 2, a Space Launch System rocket lifted an Orion capsule from Earth
- Reentry will take place by ditching in the Pacific Ocean on April 11, 9 days and 13 hours after the mission launch
- On board were Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen
- The Artemis II astronauts will travel approximately 10,300 kilometers beyond the moon, shattering all previous records for distance from Earth
Summary
At 6:35 pm ET on April 2, a Space Launch System rocket lifted an Orion capsule from Earth. The crew will test technological systems that will be useful on subsequent missions, such as those involving radiation shielding or communication between the capsule and Earth at lunar distances. Contrary to what intuition may suggest, the journey to the moon is not a direct, linear path connecting the Earth's surface with the lunar surface. After launch, the first stage of the SLS separated from the rest of the spacecraft—the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) upper stage and the Orion capsule. The halfway point will occur on the evening of April 6.