Four astronauts are going to the moon on a 10-day mission.

The rocket launched at 6:35 p.m. ET from the Kennedy Space Center. Crowds cheered. The rocket is powerful. It went into the sky.

NASA is sending astronauts to the moon again after 54 years.

The crew will orbit Earth, then go to the moon, setting a distance record of 405,000 kilometres.

The crew will fly past the moon in six days. NASA hopes this mission will help future flights to the moon's surface.

The astronauts are testing systems on the Orion spacecraft. They have key objectives.

The solid rocket boosters separated and fell into the ocean.

The astronauts will orbit Earth for 25 hours. They won't go to the moon yet.

The astronauts will test Orion's manoeuvrability.

The ICPS will raise Orion into a high-Earth orbit, then separate. The crew will test handling.

The ICPS will fall into the Pacific Ocean.

Artemis II has launched. Here's what's next.

Four experiments on CubeSats will be deployed after five hours.

On Day 2, the crew will do a translunar injection burn to go to the moon.

The astronauts will test systems and conduct experiments. They will test how the body reacts in space.

On Day 3, the astronauts will do a CPR demo in zero gravity.

The astronauts will test communications through NASA's Deep Space Network.

Day 4 will be quiet. The astronauts will review plans. On Day 5, they will practice donning spacesuits.

On Day 6, the astronauts will approach the moon, take pictures of the far side, and capture scientifically important images.

This mission may offer new views of the far side of the moon.

The astronauts will lose signal with Earth for 30 minutes when on the far side of the moon.

Day 7 is a day off, but the crew will talk to scientists about the flyby.

Days 8 and 9 will focus on testing radiation shielding and manual piloting.

On Day 10, the crew will return home, testing Orion's heat shield.

Canada's Jeremy Hansen is getting ready for the moon.

The Canadian astronaut will test an exercise wheel and laser communications.

The astronauts will test ship-to-ship communications with the International Space Station.

NASA is sending 'avatar' astronauts to the moon.

This mission prepares for future lunar surface missions. Artemis III will be a docking test.

Artemis IV will return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2028.