NASA’s Artemis II astronauts successfully fired their engines and set course for a lunar flyby, marking the first human departure from Earth orbit since 1972. The crew of four will break distance records and witness a solar eclipse.

NASA’s Artemis II astronauts fired their engines and set course for a lunar flyby on Thursday, marking the first human departure from Earth orbit since 1972. The crew of three Americans and one Canadian will break distance records, witness a solar eclipse, and pave the way for future lunar missions, despite early challenges in orbit.