NASA launched the Artemis II mission from Florida, sending four astronauts on the first crewed journey around the Moon in over 50 years. The mission will test Orion’s systems, travel beyond the Moon’s far side, and prepare for future lunar landings, marking key milestones including the first woman and first Canadian on a Moon mission.

Florida: NASA's Artemis II Moon mission lifted off from the US state of Florida, carrying four astronauts on the first crewed flight around the Moon in more than 50 years.

The Space Launch System rocket, with the Orion spacecraft on top, launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 6:35 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Wednesday.

It is NASA's first crewed mission under the Artemis program. The four-member crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, reports Xinhua news agency.

The launch countdown was briefly paused at the T-10 minute mark before resuming several minutes later.