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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Oliver Holmes

Artemis II astronauts prepare to leave Earth’s orbit and head towards the moon

Rocket takes off, with clouds of smoke underneath it, and a foreground of water and birds flying
Four astronauts – three Americans and one Canadian – took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday. Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

Nasa has given the four Artemis astronauts circling Earth the green light to head for the moon and carry out the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.

Nasa flight director Jeff Radigan told the astronauts the mission management team had approved firing up the engine of their Orion capsule to send the spacecraft on a trajectory towards the moon.

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