Artemis II has blasted off toward lunar orbit: The Launch and the 10-Day Journey

Overnight on April 1, 2026, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket successfully lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center, carrying the Orion capsule and its crew. This marks a historic milestone: it is the first crewed mission of the Artemis program and humanity’s first journey beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo era.

A Flawless Liftoff Right on schedule, the rocket executed its launch sequence perfectly:

Main Engine Cutoff: Eight and a half minutes after liftoff, the core stage completed its burn, separated from the upper stage, and began its descent toward a planned ocean splashdown.

Booster Separation: About two minutes into the flight, the twin solid rocket boosters exhausted their fuel and safely detached.

Core Stage Propulsion: The immense task of pushing the spacecraft forward then passed to the four powerful engines of the core stage.

Link: https://www.geopop.it/artemis-ii-e-partita-quattro-astronauti-in-viaggio-verso-la-luna-per-la-prima-volta-in-oltre-50-anni/