Even from a distance of several kilometres, the Artemis II rocket looked huge.

Then, there was a moment that felt like an eternity, as around 2,600 metric tons of spacecraft lifted off.

I was honoured to receive an invitation from the Canadian Space Agency to attend this historic launch at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. I am a professor, an explorer and a planetary geologist. As a member of the First Artemis Lunar Surface Science Team, I have been supporting NASA in developing the geology training for Artemis astronauts.

This launch was one of the most thrilling, but stressful few minutes of my life. Space missions are hard and can be dangerous, especially missions like this where there are so many firsts.

The final 10-second countdown seemed to come so quickly, and then at 6.35 p.m., EDT, on April 1, 2026, the NASA launch commentator uttered those famous words: “We have liftoff.”

I think everyone around me held their breath for those first few critical seconds, and then the significance of the moment sank in. We had........

© The Conversation