11 spectacular photos of Artemis I rocket launching toward the moon

Some incredible photos from liftoff.

We have liftoff!

Early Wednesday morning, NASA’s Artemis I rocket to the moon launched after delays earlier in the year.

What’s the reason behind the spacecraft without a crew being launched now? From USA TODAY: “The Artemis I launch will send a new, empty capsule around the moon for the first time in 50 years. This first test flight is expected to last for four- to six weeks and will end with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The $4.1 billion mission will allow NASA to verify the capsule’s heat shield during reentry. If successful, four astronauts will be able to strap in for the next moonshot in 2024, which will be followed by a lunar landing of two astronauts a year or two later.”

The photos from the launch were spectacular. Check them out: