r/ScienceOdyssey

Artemis II has left Earth’s orbit and is headed to the Moon! 🚀

With its trans-lunar injection burn, Orion fired its engine to leave Earth orbit and enter the precise path that will carry the crew toward a lunar flyby. This is the first time humans have traveled beyond Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972, marking a major milestone for deep space exploration. The burn also places the spacecraft on a free-return trajectory, meaning the Moon’s gravity will help bend Orion’s path and send the crew back toward Earth after looping around the Moon.