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NASA has officially launched its Artemis II Moon mission - the first in more than 50 years - sending four astronauts on a journey that will take them farther into space than any humans before.
The 322-foot rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 6.36pm local time (11.36pm BST).
After reaching orbit, the crew began circling Earth for around 25 hours before heading towards the Moon. Ahead of the launch, King Charles sent his “heartfelt good wishes” to the team, alongside an environmental message.
Five minutes into the mission, Commander Reid Wiseman said: "We have a beautiful moonrise, we’re headed right at it."
The astronauts boarded the capsule hours earlier, where they will spend the next 10 days in a space comparable to a small camper van.
More than 700,000 gallons (2.6 million litres) of fuel was loaded into the spacecraft before launch.
Commander Wiseman told the crowd: "It’s a great day for us. It’s a great day for this team."
But while the mission itself marks a major milestone, the camera coverage of the launch has drawn criticism, with some saying it fell short of expectations.
One person branded the footage "PATHETIC," suggesting feeds were better in the 1960s. Many also expressed how much they missed Elon Musk's approach to launches, with "multiple camera angles" and an "entertaining" element.
Another criticised NASA for cutting away too soon.
One memeified the moment.
Another simply called the camera work "s**t".
As another reiterated the sentiment, saying the astronauts and NASA "deserved better".
"We didn't know how good we had it with SpaceX," they added.
"NASA can go to the Moon but can't use a HD camera," another quipped.
Elsewhere, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to mark the moment, writing: "We are WINNING, in Space, on Earth, and everywhere in between — Economically, Militarily, and now, BEYOND THE STARS.
"Nobody comes close! America doesn’t just compete, we DOMINATE, and the whole World is watching.
"God bless our incredible Astronauts, God bless NASA, and God bless the Greatest Nation ever to exist, the United States of America! President DONALD J. TRUMP".
indy100 has reached out to NASA for comment
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- Astronaut explains why no one has visited the moon for 50 years
- Artemis II in numbers: The key figures behind NASA moon mission from distance, to living space
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