NASA has launched its Artemis II mission, sending four astronauts into space for the first crewed flight around the Moon in more than 50 years. The mission marks a major step forward in human space exploration and signals a return to deep space beyond Earth's orbit. The agency's SLS (Space Launch System) rocket lifted off from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Riding aboard the Orion spacecraft, the crew began a carefully planned test flight that will carry them around the Moon and back to Earth. "Today's launch marks a defining moment for our nation and for all who believe in exploration. Artemis II builds on the vision set by President Donald J. Trump, returning humanity to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years and opening the next chapter of lunar exploration beyond Apollo.…