NASA successfully launched the Artemis II mission Wednesday evening, sending four astronauts on a historic journey toward the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years and a major milestone in America’s return to deep space exploration. “Let me begin by congratulating the team at NASA and our brave astronauts on the successful launch of Artemis 2 — it was quite something,” President Donald Trump said at the start of an address following Wednesday’s liftoff. “It will be traveling further than any manned rocket has ever flown … They are on the way and God bless them. These are brave people. God bless those four unbelievable astronauts.” The Space Launch System rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center at 6:35 p.m. EDT, carrying NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen aboard the Orion spacecraft. The launch followed days of final preparations and capped a buildup the White House framed as part of “America’s destiny” in space. About an hour after liftoff, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman underscored the significance of the moment in a brief post on X, writing, “America’s next leap is underway. Godspeed Artemis II.” America’s next leap is underway.. Godspeed Artemis II