The American space agency NASA has successfully launched its biggest ever rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
Wednesday’s flight followed two previous launch attempts in August and September that were aborted during the countdown because of technical glitches.
But such issues were overcome on this occasion, and the Space Launch System, as the rocket is often called, was given the “go” to begin its ascent from the Kennedy Space Center.
NASA’s first female launch Director, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson said Artemis 1 would inspire other generations to venture into space science.
December will see Nasa celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 17, the very last time humans walked on the Moon.
The space agency is calling its new programme Artemis (Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology).
Orion is being sent on a 26-day excursion that will take it into what’s called a distant retrograde orbit at the Moon.
The capsule is due back on Earth on 11 December – about three and a half weeks from now.
That’s when one of the key events in the whole mission occurs.
Engineers are most concerned to learn that Orion’s heatshield will cope with the extreme temperatures it will encounter on re-entry to our planet’s atmosphere.
BBC