CHARLOTTE — The Artemis mission launched Thursday, beginning a journey to orbit the moon with a crew that includes the first African American astronaut and the first woman to make the trip.
The mission marks the start of a new phase of space exploration aimed at eventually establishing a long-term human presence on the lunar surface.
An estimated 500,000 people gathered to witness the launch, which follows approximately three years of specialized training for the crew.
Although this specific mission will not include a moon landing, it is intended to provide the foundation for future deep-space travel.
[ The Latest: Artemis II astronauts reach orbit on historic mission to the moon and back ]
Joan Higginbotham, a retired astronaut living in Charlotte, watched the launch with a personal connection to the mission.
Higginbotham joined NASA in 1987 as an electrical engineer and became an astronaut 10 years later. She spent more than 300 days in space during her career.
Higginbotham described an emotional reaction to seeing the crew depart.
“I was excited, I was cheering and screaming,” Higginbotham said. “I was almost in tears, really happy for the crew, they have been training for about 3 years.”
The retired astronaut noted the scale of public interest in the mission, comparing it to the Apollo launches of the past.
“I hope we’re back,” Higginbotham said. “I hope the 500,000 people who went to see the launch say that we’re back.”
While this mission focuses on orbiting the moon, the broader objective is to establish a permanent presence on the lunar surface.
This infrastructure is designed to serve as a starting point for travel to other planets.
“We’re gonna put a base there,” Higginbotham said. “We’re going to use that as the jumping off point to go into deeper space, maybe Mars.”
Higginbotham also highlighted the significance of the crew’s diversity and its potential impact on future generations.
“It shows little boys and girls of color that look, there are people who look like me that have done this incredible thing,” Higginbotham said. “Maybe I don’t want to be an astronaut, but maybe I can do my incredible thing.”
VIDEO: Meteor spotted over Carolinas during Bootids shower, NASA confirms
This browser does not support the video element.