NASA’s Artemis 2 crew locks in lunar trajectory after a critical engine firing, marking humanity’s return to deep space travel beyond low Earth orbit after more than five decades.
In a landmark moment for human space exploration, four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis 2 mission are now firmly on course to the Moon after a critical engine burn successfully pushed their spacecraft onto a lunar trajectory late Thursday.
The Artemis II mission has now completed a decisive burn that will propel the Orion spacecraft on its journey toward the far side of the Moon, a milestone that effectively commits the crew to their deep space path.
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Launched atop NASA’s powerful Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Orion spacecraft executed the burn for just under six minutes.
NASA described the manoeuvre as “flawless”, confirming the spacecraft’s trajectory for a 10-day mission that will loop around the Moon before returning to Earth.
Moments after the burn, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen delivered a powerful first reaction, saying, “Humanity has once again shown what we are capable of,” underlining the historic significance of the mission.
In a livestream from space, mission commander Reid Wiseman described the view of Earth as “spectacular”, offering a rare perspective of the planet “from pole to pole”.
The crew, clearly awestruck, shared visuals while adjusting to life in microgravity, passing around a floating microphone as they answered questions.
Astronaut Christina Koch added that nothing prepares you for the sight of Earth glowing brightly against the darkness of space, while the Moon reflects sunlight in the distance.
The astronauts also noted the spacecraft felt slightly chilly, but spirits remained high as they began settling into routines aboard Orion.
Unlike the Apollo missions that placed humans on the lunar surface, Artemis 2 is a flyby mission designed to test critical systems such as navigation, communication, and life support in deep space conditions.
The mission serves as a crucial stepping stone in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon later this decade and build a sustainable presence.
Future missions are expected to take astronauts to the lunar surface and eventually support long-term goals of sending humans to Mars.
As Orion continues its journey deeper into space, Artemis 2 is being closely watched around the world, not just as a mission to the Moon, but as the beginning of humanity’s next chapter beyond Earth.
Published: 03 Apr 2026, 12:07 pm IST
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