Manned mission to Moon fires engines to leave Earth’s orbit

Nasa’s Orion spacecraft as it orbits above the planet during the Artemis II test flight (Nasa/AP) - (AP)

Nasa’s first manned Moon mission in more than five decades fired its rockets early on Friday to break out of Earth’s orbit.

Nasa deputy associate administrator Lori Glaze told a news conference: “Ladies and gentlemen, I am so, so excited to be able to tell you that for the first time since 1972 during Apollo 17, human beings have left Earth orbit.”