KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLORIDA — NASA launched the Artemis II mission from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a Space Launch System rocket to circle the Moon. The mission carries four crew members: Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor J Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen.

The launch marked the first crewed Moon mission to depart from Kennedy Space Center since Apollo 17 in 1972. Kennedy Space Center was built to send astronauts to the Moon.

The Space Launch System is the most powerful rocket NASA has built. The rocket uses four RS-25 engines and two solid rocket boosters. At liftoff, the Space Launch System's four RS-25 engines and twin solid rocket boosters generated more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust.

Spectators about three miles (4.8 km) from the launch pad felt the rumbling of the rocket launch.

Approximately one hour before launch, engineers held the countdown at T-minus 10 minutes to resolve issues with the launch abort system. The launch abort system enables engineers to eject astronauts and destroy the rocket in case of a malfunction.

"Artemis II, this is launch director. You are go for launch." said Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA's launch director. Blackwell-Thompson is the first woman to serve as NASA's launch director.