NASA’s new rocket blasted off on a debut flight with three test dummies aboard early today, bringing the U.S. a step closer to putting astronauts back on the lunar surface for the first time since the end of the Apollo program 50 years ago.
If all goes well during the three-week shakedown flight, the crew capsule will be propelled into a wide orbit around the moon and then return to Earth with a Pacific splashdown in December.
After years of delays and billions in cost overruns, the Space Launch System rocket rose from Kennedy Space Center on 8.8 million pounds of thrust. The Orion capsule was perched on top and, less than two hours into the flight, broke out of Earth’s orbit toward the moon.
The $4.1 billion test flight is set to last 25 days, roughly the same as when crews will be aboard.
This launch was made possible by the material assembled and tested at nearby NASA facilities, Michoud and Stennis.
