Four astronauts are on their way around the Moon after a powerful Artemis II launch that shook the CBS Evening News set during a live broadcast from Kennedy Space Center.
Here are the key moments and details:
– Liftoff and ascent: The Space Launch System rocket blasted off amid cheers from tens of thousands gathered around the Cape and at watch parties across the country. As the rocket climbed, the side boosters jettisoned and the core stage separated, and the Orion spacecraft passed the edge of space. Flight calls noted passing one minute, approaching Max Q, and by about three minutes, 50 seconds the crew reported 78 miles downrange and speeds above 5,000 mph.
– On the ground: The crowd reaction was loud at Titusville and at packed watch parties — including more than 1,300 people at a Houston Space Center event. Family members saw the crew board the astrovan and exchange final words before the launch.
– Crew and historic firsts: Mission Commander Reid Wiseman (who first flew in 2014) leads the mission. Pilot Victor Glover is the first Black astronaut to fly on a lunar mission. Mission Specialist Christina Koch is the first woman to go around the Moon, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen is the first Canadian to travel into deep space.
– Studio reaction: CBS Evening News broadcast live from the Kennedy Space Center, and the launch’s “wall of sound” caused the studio to vibrate, an effect described on air by correspondents.
– Reporting from Kennedy: CBS News Senior National Correspondent Mark Strassmann, about four miles from Pad 39B, described the launch as a “true sensory overload” — a controlled explosion followed by a rumbling wall of sound that made nearby buildings rattle and created a memorable experience for those watching in person.
– In-orbit operations and significance: Former shuttle reporter Peter King explained that, after ascent, the astronauts were testing manual spacecraft handling in proximity operations, flying Orion close to the spent upper stage. Those maneuvers test maneuverability — pitch, yaw, roll and side-to-side motion — capabilities that will be needed for future rendezvous with lunar landers. He said many spacecraft operations are automated, but manual control tests are vital for the program’s future.
– First 24 hours: The team emphasized the critical nature of the first day in orbit — verifying environmental systems (life support, water, oxygen), communications, and propulsion. Artemis II performed engine firings to refine its orbit, and the crew handled comm checks. Engineers addressed minor glitches, including small issues with onboard systems, and confirmed propulsion performed as expected.
– Next steps and timeline: If systems continue to check out, teams plan a trans-lunar injection burn — the engine firing to send Orion toward the Moon — the following night. The trip to lunar distance takes about four days; the spacecraft will pass behind the Moon and round the far side as scheduled a few days after launch, assuming nominal operations.
Artemis II marks humanity’s next crewed voyage beyond low Earth orbit, carrying four astronauts farther from Earth than anyone has traveled in modern missions as NASA continues its Artemis series aimed at returning humans to deep space and preparing for future lunar exploration.