NASA’s Artemis II mission reached a critical milestone as the four-person crew successfully performed the Translunar Injection burn, sending the Orion spacecraft out of Earth orbit and on course for the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.

The spacecraft is now traveling toward the Moon on a 10-day journey that will take it to a distance of approximately 252,799 miles from Earth — farther than the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. The crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), Christina Koch (mission specialist), and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

This marks the first time humans have left low-Earth orbit since the final Apollo mission in 1972.

Artemis II is designed as a full-systems test of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket in deep space. The mission will not land on the Moon but will validate life-support systems, communications, and the heat shield that will be essential for future crewed lunar landings.

NASA confirmed the burn was completed successfully, with all systems performing as expected. The agency stated that the crew is now “bound to fly around the Moon after successfully completing a key burn of Orion’s main engine.” Live updates from mission control at Johnson Space Center in Houston show the astronauts conducting systems checks and sharing views of Earth receding behind them.

The mission launched on April 1 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the days since, the crew has reported smooth operations, including a minor toilet issue that was quickly resolved. Flight controllers continue to monitor the spacecraft in real time as it coasts toward its lunar encounter.

Artemis II builds directly on the uncrewed Artemis I test flight completed in 2022. The program’s long-term goal is to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, including at the lunar south pole, as a stepping stone toward future Mars missions. Canada contributed key elements to the Orion spacecraft under international partnership agreements.

Public interest in the mission has surged, with millions following live video streams and crew communications from deep space. The astronauts are expected to conduct additional maneuvers and scientific observations before swinging around the far side of the Moon and returning to Earth.

The crew is now on Flight Day 3, continuing systems checks and spacecraft configuration while coasting toward the Moon. All systems remain nominal. NASA is already preparing the Lunar Targeting Plan for the crew’s observations during the lunar flyby (expected around April 6).