NASA Artemis II Astronauts Leave Earth Orbit for the Moon

Translunar injection (TLI) burn puts the Integrity Orion spacecraft on course for lunar orbit.

Jack Daleo

Friday, April 03, 2026 at 09:04 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Cameras on NASA’s Integrity Orion spacecraft capture images of Earth as four astronauts orbit the planet during flight day one of Artemis II. [Credit: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA's Artemis II mission, carrying four astronauts, has successfully executed its translunar injection burn and is now on a four-day journey to orbit the moon, marking the first crewed mission to lunar orbit since the Apollo era.
The mission aims to send humans farther from Earth than ever before using a precise "figure eight" free-return trajectory around the moon, while testing critical systems of the Orion capsule, including its deep-space operations and a modified heat shield for reentry.
Upcoming milestones include a historic lunar flyby where astronauts will break distance records and observe the far side of the moon, practicing emergency procedures, and conducting experiments before their gravity-assisted return to Earth.

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After orbiting the Earth twice, four astronauts have officially begun their four-day journey to the moon.

Friday marks the start of flight day three for NASA’s historic Artemis II mission, which is sending three Americans and one Canadian farther from Earth than any human has ever ventured. It is NASA’s first crewed mission to lunar orbit since the Apollo era more than half a century ago.