NASA Launches Four Astronauts on First Crewed Lunar Mission in Over 50 Years

World 12:18 PM - 2026-04-02

NASA Launches Four Astronauts on First Crewed Lunar Mission in Over 50 Years.

NASA has launched four astronauts on a historic mission around the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar journey in more than half a century.

The mission, conducted by NASA, lifted off with four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft as part of the Artemis programme. It represents the first time humans have travelled beyond low Earth orbit towards the Moon since the Apollo era.

The crew — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — are set to undertake a multi-day mission that will see them orbit the Moon before returning to Earth. The flight does not include a lunar landing.

NASA said the mission is designed to test critical systems ahead of future planned Moon landings under the Artemis programme, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface later this decade.

The launch marks a significant milestone in space exploration, coming more than 50 years after the last Apollo missions, and is seen as a key step towards future deep-space exploration, including potential missions to Mars.

Officials said the mission will help assess spacecraft performance, navigation systems, and crew operations in deep space conditions before more complex lunar missions are attempted.

Sources: Reuters


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