The engine firing provided a slingshot-like boost to the Orion capsule, speeding it up to some 25,000 mph, the velocity needed to break free of Earth's gravitational clasp for a trek to the moon.

The Artemis II astronauts, after saying goodbye to family and friends, were strapped into their seats aboard the Orion spacecraft by early afternoon, hours before the launch window opened at 6:24 p.m. Eastern time. As the astronauts sat, NASA continued with checks to ensure the safety of the crew before liftoff.

For the first time in more than 50 years, astronauts have left Earth orbit on a journey to the Moon.

After beginning its journey to the moon after a dramatic trans-lunar injection, the four-strong crew of the Orion spacecraft sent back some spectacular images of Earth.

A couple of weeks ago, a neighbor asked if I knew a place she could bring her spouse to see the full moon rise on April 1 for her birthday. I suggested a nearby hill here in Western Massachusetts with a view to the east that I’ve used myself many times over the decades.

From the time the Orion spacecraft first reached orbit and then its maximum distance of 252,756 miles from Earth on April 6, the crew managed to capture a series of breathtaking 'Shot on iPhone' images of the Earth and Moon.

After a day of testing the Orion capsule high above the planet, the crew of the NASA mission became the first people to head into deep space since 1972. Katrina Miller Reporting from Johnson Space Center in Houston. Astronauts are officially headed to the ...