Four astronauts launched today towards the Moon aboard the Orion capsule, using the Space Launch System rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the US state of Florida.

US President Donald Trump praised NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years, describing it as completely successful, in remarks made just hours before the earliest possible launch window for the Artemis 2 mission.

The Artemis 2 mission had previously been delayed several times due to technical issues and may face further postponement.

The mission, expected to last around 10 days, will see US astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, fly around the Moon.