Lockheed Martin-Built Orion Spacecraft Launched to the Moon on Historic Artemis I Mission

With the backdrop of a Florida starlit sky, NASA's Artemis I mission, with the Lockheed Martin-built Orion spacecraft on top, majestically launched to the Moon and propelled the world into a new era of human deep space exploration.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER FLA. This test flight is the first in a series of missions under NASA's Artemis program, which will result in the first woman and first person of color landing on the Moon.

Orion lifted off aboard NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at 1:47 a.m. ET on Nov. 16 and two hours later the spacecraft separated from the rocket's upper stage traveling at 22,600 mph. This put it on a trajectory to break away from the gravity of the Earth and make its way to the Moon.

"We're witnessing history as Artemis I brings us one significant step closer to making NASA's vision for human deep space exploration a reality," said Robert Lightfoot, Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin Space. "Through a nationwide industry team that has also leveraged an international industrial base, this launch and mission unite the skills of a dedicated workforce and innovative technologies to make a global impact."