This is the first crewed flight to the Moon in the Artemis program in more than half a century.

NASA released the first images on Friday, about a day and a half after liftoff. The initial photo, captured by commander Reid Wiseman, shows a curved cross-section of Earth through the capsule window. A second image reveals the full "Blue Planet", its oceans veiled in swirling white clouds, along with green auroras.

The Artemis II mission is expected to last 10 days, aiming to prepare for returning humans to the Moon in 2028.