The launch follows a series of delays due to weather and mechanical issues.
The Artemis I rocket launched early Wednesday morning, the latest attempt to send an unmanned capsule near the moon after a series of postponements due to weather and mechanical issues.
NASA pushed back a takeoff scheduled for Monday after Hurricane Nicole made landfall about 85 miles south of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The launch marks the first step in an ambitious plan to establish a long-term presence on the moon for scientific discovery and economic development. Eventually, the Artemis expedition could lead to the first crewed space trip to Mars, according to NASA.
President Joe Biden celebrated the launch of Artemis I and expressed excitement for the goals of future missions.
"NASA’s Artemis is in flight," Biden tweeted Wednesday afternoon. "This ship will enable the first woman and first person of color to set foot on the lunar surface and will lead countless students to become explorers and show America’s limitless possibilities to the world."
Vice President Kamala Harris congratulated NASA Wednesday morning on its success in launching Artemis I.
"Congratulations to NASA and our private sector and international partners on the launch of Artemis I," she tweeted.
"Today, America is charting a path back to the Moon. This is a landmark moment for our nation and our world."
NASA has launched a website where the public can follow the progress of the Artemis I mission in real time.
Viewers can track how far the Orion spacecraft, which detached from the rocket, is from Earth and how close it is to the moon.
The website also shows how fast the spacecraft is traveling and how many days, hours and minutes have elapsed since the mission began.
