Karlton Johnson, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Space Society, released a statement about the trans-lunar injection (TLI) of the Artemis 2 mission as it was underway.

“The National Space Society congratulates the crew of Artemis 2, NASA, and the entire workforce team, on the successful departure of this bold mission from Earth orbit,” Johnson said. “This daring maneuver puts the crew into their lunar flyby trajectory, a demonstration of American prowess in space that is the opening of a stunning new era of achievement in human spaceflight.”

The Artemis 2 spacecraft left Earth orbit on April 2 and entered a free-return trajectory that will take it far beyond the Moon and return it to Earth later next week. This is the first time any spacecraft has carried a crew beyond Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972, and will be the furthest journey humans have ever taken into space. It is the first step toward a crewed lunar landing and a permanent lunar base as planned by NASA.

“The Artemis program represents a tangible step toward what the National Space Society has long championed: a sustained human presence beyond Earth. It begins to turn the concept of space settlement into something real by building the capabilities required for permanence off-Earth,” Johnson added. “This progress reflects years of NSS engagement with Congress to align policy, funding, and national priorities with long-term human expansion into space. Artemis shows what can be achieved when that alignment is carried forward with consistency and purpose.”