Nasa's Artemis 2 Orion capsule launched successfully from Kennedy Space Center with four astronauts heading to the Moon on a 400,000-kilometer journey. The rocket reached supersonic speed and is now traveling at 27,000 km/h. The automated launch control system has taken over.
Nasa's Artemis 2 mission lifted off successfully from Kennedy Space Center, as covered in DER SPIEGEL's live blog. Spectators watched the launch while astronauts boarded the Orion capsule one by one. Fueling began at 14:35 under favorable weather conditions.
The rocket quickly accelerated, breaking the sound barrier, flying in a suborbital path, and reaching 27,000 km/h toward the Moon. Technicians had checked the rocket's self-destruct system and resolved minor issues like a faulty battery.
Safety features include an emergency escape system with cable slides, a launch abort system for the Orion capsule, and redundant systems for controls, life support, and engines. The 13-tonne service module comes from Germany, as does radiation measurement by a German company.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg predicted victory in the race to the Moon and Mars. American citizens strongly support Nasa's space program.
