The agency said the astronauts are in high spirits and have remained busy since liftoff. The photographs were captured after the spacecraft completed its translunar injection burn in the early hours of Friday Central European Summer Time, a key maneuver that pushed Orion out of Earth’s orbit and onto its path toward the Moon. Artemis II is not intended to land astronauts on the lunar surface, but the 10-day mission marks a major test flight for NASA’s broader Artemis program. The mission is designed to validate systems needed for future crewed lunar operations as the United States pushes ahead with plans for a longer-term return to the Moon.
