Photos: Artemis I Mission Launches to the Moon from Kennedy Space Center

The Artemis I mission began with the launch of SLS rising like a second sun into the Florida sky. Liftoff occurred at 12:47 a.m. CST on November 16th, 2022, from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The light from the four RS-25 engines was so bright that SLS was visible in the night sky for six whole minutes as it passed alongside the Moon before disappearing over the Eastern horizon.

In ten days, Orion will reach its destination, the Moon, going farther than any human-rated spacecraft has gone before. After performing several mission objectives, the Artemis I mission will end on Sunday, December 11th, when Orion returns to Earth and splashes down in the Pacific Ocean.

At T-6 seconds the 4 RS-25 engines ignite. Flame is seen under the launch pad in this photo taken 3.4 miles from the launch pad. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago

Seconds before SLS leapt off the launch pad to send the Orion spacecraft to the Moon for the Artemis I mission for NASA. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago

At T-0 the two solid rocket boosters ignite. The two boosters plus the four RS-25 engines produce over 8 million pounds of thrust combined, propelling the Artemis I rocket off the launch pad. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago

Seven seconds after liftoff, Artemis I has cleared the launch tower. At this point SLS is already traveling 80 mph. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago

As the rocket cleared the launch pad it was as if a second sun had risen in the middle of the night. Each Solid Rocket Booster, built by Northrop Grumman, has a maximum thrust of over three million pounds. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago

Rising higher and higher the rocket completes its roll program. This puts the vehicle on the proper path to orbit Earth before traveling to the Moon. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago

One minute into the flight the rocket is now going faster than the speed of sound. The aerodynamic forces of the rocket are so powerful at this point that the four RS-25 engines have to throttle down to reduce the stress on the vehicle. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago

Now past the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure, the RS-25 engines begin to throttle back up to full thrust. At the center of the plume, a point of light is seen, this is the four RS-25 engines from Aerojet Rocketdyne. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago

Approaching booster separation, the exhaust plume becomes less bright but still visible in the night sky. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago

Two minutes into the flight, and at over three thousand mph, the two solid rocket booster separate having expended all their fuel. What looks like a star is the RS-25 engines of the Core Stage with the Orion spacecraft. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago

More than six minutes after launch the Core Stage with Orion is visible to the naked eye alongside the Moon, Orion’s ultimate destination. Orion should reach the Moon on Nov. 21st, where it will perform a lunar flyby and travel farther than any human rated spacecraft has gone before. Photo: Michael Galindo/Cosmic Chicago