Artemis II passes halfway point

Aboard the Orion spacecraft, the international crew—including the first Canadian to leave Earth's orbit—is testing critical systems and settling into the rhythms of deep-space life.

While mission control addressed a minor 'burning smell' from the spacecraft's toilet, officials confirmed that all systems remain operational and the crew is in high spirits.

The mission aims to break the human distance record set by Apollo 13 before performing a gravity-assisted return to Earth.

This flight serves as a final proving ground for the technology that will eventually return humans to the lunar surface.