Four astronauts blasted off Wednesday aboard a massive NASA rocket on a journey that will take them around the Moon—the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.

With a thunderous roar that echoed far beyond the launch pad, the massive orange-and-white rocket lifted off with three Americans and one Canadian on board from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida around 6:35 p.m. local time, an AFP reporter at the scene reported.

“We’re going to the Moon!” shouted a spectator.

Artemis II is a 10-day mission with four astronauts orbiting the Moon, marking the first time humans have traveled beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Eight minutes after launch, the Orion capsule separated as planned from the massive tanks of the SLS rocket, which propelled it into space and placed it in Earth orbit.

The four astronauts will now remain in Earth orbit to conduct a series of tests before setting course on Thursday for the Moon, located more than 384,000 kilometers from Earth.

Neither the fog nor the drizzle can dampen Cot’s faith: The Procession of the Ribbons winds through the streets of this Cartaginian community.

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