Artemis II heads for the moon

The translunar injection burn lasted approximately six minutes, providing the slingshot-like boost necessary to escape Earth's gravitational pull.

Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen reported breathtaking views of the planet as they transitioned into deep space.

The mission management team confirmed that all systems are functioning optimally despite minor post-launch technical hiccups.

The crew is scheduled to reach the far side of the moon early next week before returning to Earth.