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Artemis Blasts off to the Moon

NASA’s Artemis I mission gets off the ground, on November 16, in Florida. JOEL KOWSKY—NASA

NASA’s Artemis I mission blasted off to the moon on November 16. The rocket launched from the Kennedy Space Center. That’s in Florida. Artemis I took the Orion spacecraft on a journey around the moon and back. The trip was expected to last 25 days. No crew members were on board.

Future Artemis missions are planned. NASA’s goal is to have Americans back on the moon around 2025. The last time people walked on the moon was in 1972. Eventually, NASA plans to set up a lunar base camp. It will be near the moon’s south pole. Astronauts will work there. They’ll study how long-term space travel affects people. Ultimately, NASA hopes to send astronauts to Mars.