NASA Launches First Crewed Moon Mission in Over 50 Years

History is lifting off from Florida's Space Coast this afternoon. NASA is launching Artemis II, its first crewed mission to the Moon since the Apollo era, marking the biggest step toward returning humans to the lunar surface in more than half a century.

Four astronauts are aboard: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. The crew is making history before they even land anywhere. Koch becomes the first woman, and Glover the first Black astronaut, to travel to the Moon.

Glover said he hopes these milestones eventually stop feeling like milestones. "I also hope we are pushing the other direction, that one day we don't have to talk about these firsts," he said. "That this is the human history. It's about human history, not black history, not women's history, but that it becomes human history."

The mission won't touch down on the Moon, but that's not the point. Artemis II is a critical test flight, sending humans deeper into space than we've gone in decades. Engineers will closely monitor life support systems and how the spacecraft handles the extreme speeds of re-entering Earth's atmosphere. After launch, the crew will orbit Earth, slingshot around the Moon, and return home over a 10-day journey through deep space.

Mission Specialist Christina Koch described what the crew hopes the mission means for people watching from home. "It is our strong hope that this mission is the start of an era where everyone, every person on Earth, can look at the moon and think of it as also a destination."

Thousands are expected to line Florida's coast to watch the launch in person. Commander Wiseman summed up the crew's readiness simply: "We're ready, the rocket is ready, we are ready, NASA is ready."

Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen offered a final word on the pressure of the moment: "Failure is not an option, but I think it is often misunderstood. It's not that we never fail, it's that we don't quit."

NBC Palm Springs will stream the full countdown and launch live at NBCPalmSprings.com, starting at 3 p.m. today. Liftoff is set for 3:24 p.m. PST.