KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — Space enthusiasts worldwide traveled to the Space and Treasure coasts to witness four astronauts catapult into the atmosphere and head to the lunar surface. By Thursday evening, the Orion spacecraft voyaged past Earth orbit and pushed on an outbound trajectory toward the moon. The astronauts will take a 10-day trek around the moon and back, a key task for future Artemis moon missions, including a lunar landing and a moon base. [caption id="attachment_230645" align="alignleft" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-230645" title="2156702d c77e 49e4 b0fa 2d90103524f4" src="https://veronews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2156702d-c77e-49e4-b0fa-2d90103524f4-300x166.jpg" alt="2156702d c77e 49e4 b0fa 2d90103524f4" width="300" height="166" /> PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL[/caption] The Artemis II astronauts <a href="https://veronews.com/2026/03/31/best-places-in-indian-river-county-to-watch-historic-artemis-ii-moon-launch/">launched at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday, April 1</a> from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, located on Merritt Island. The sun beamed brightly across partly cloudy skies as the spacecraft blasted off with thousands of spectators watching from the ground below. Crowds - including contractors who worked on the spacecraft - watched and cheered from across the Kennedy Space Center and the nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station when Artemis II lifted off. Indian River County residents gathered along the beaches and areas of the bridges to see the moon-bound rocket soar above the clouds. The astronauts were seated in the Orion capsule, atop the Space Launch System rocket, as it was propelled into the sky. Billows of white smoke could be seen underneath the rocket as it punched its way into the atmosphere. <em>Video by Nick Samuel</em> [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://veronews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/c9238c4f-f9f0-4612-98cd-e375912371e3.mp4"][/video] The rocket also left behind a long contrail, stretching from the ground to the sky. The twin solid rocket boosters separated from the Space Launch System rocket two minutes after liftoff and descended back to Earth. <strong>Artemis II marks 'Golden Age' of Space Exploration</strong> It's been more than 50 years since astronauts journeyed to the moon. The Artemis II astronauts will travel farther from Earth than any humans in history. The Artemis II mission will also be cemented in history by having the first Black person, first woman and first Canadian travel to the lunar surface. The Artemis II crew includes <span style="font-weight: 400;">NASA Astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor J. Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen. NASA leaders say the aerospace organization has entered the "Golden Age" of space exploration as it readies astronauts for a long-lasting presence on the moon, and after that, missions to Mars.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Artemis II Mission Overview</strong> </span> The Orion spacecraft will conduct a multi-hour flyby around the moon on Monday, April 6, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/liftoff-nasa-launches-astronauts-on-historic-artemis-moon-mission/#:~:text=This%20move%20is%20an%20approximately,first%20crewed%20missions%20to%20Mars.">according to NASA</a>. The astronauts will take photographs and observations as the first people to witness the far side of the moon. NASA officials said the Orion spacecraft was expected return to Earth April 10 and splash down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California. Artemis II builds on the success of Artemis I, which saw an uncrewed Orion capsule venture around the moon and back during a 25-day test flight from Nov. 16, 2022 to Dec. 11, 2022. Artemis III, slated for 2027, will test integrated operations between the Orion spacecraft and one or both commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin. Artemis IV, planned for 2028, will have astronauts land on the moon's south pole region. There, the space travelers will collect samples and data for science investigations. Launch Pad 39B, where the Artemis II rocket took flight, is the same pad used during the Apollo-era and Space Shuttle missions. The Artemis and Apollo missions were named after prominent Greek gods. Artemis is the twin sister of her brother Apollo. Artemis is described as the goddess of the moon, while Apollo is described as the god of the sun. [gallery ids="230650,230651,230645,230652"]