Artemis II crew prepare to thrust on to the Moon

Nasa's Artemis II spacecraft is orbiting high above Earth after a successful and spectacular launch as its four astronauts get ready to thrust on to their destination – the Moon. The first crewed lunar mission in half a century blasted off from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida after Nasa resolved some technical issues that had briefly paused the countdown. Spectators at the launch said they could feel the power of the rocket through their entire bodies. A few minutes later commander Reid Wiseman declared "Great view… we have got a great Moonrise" – a reminder that this crew will see things that only a handful of humans have witnessed. The delicate technical choreography - including rocket booster separations - went as planned as Artemis passed the Kármán line boundary between Earth's atmosphere and space. "After a brief 54-year intermission, Nasa is back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon," Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman told a news conference. They won't land on the Moon during their 10-day mission, but plan to circle it and could travel further from Earth than anyone has ever been before returning. This mission will set the stage for a crewed lunar landing curren