MAHMOUD BENNETT: AFTER SEVERAL DELAYS NASA’S HISTORIC ARTEMIS 1 ROCKET HAS BLASTED OFF TO THE MOON. THE 322 FOOT TALL, 9 MILLION POUND ROCKET WITH 3 TEST DUMMIES ABOARD TOOK OFF WEDNESDAY FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN FLORIDA.

IT’S THE MOST POWERFUL ROCKET IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO NASA, WHICH SAYS THIS TEST MISSION WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR ASTRONAUTS TO RETURN TO THE MOON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 50 YEARS.

ATOP THE ROCKET WAS THE UNCREWED ORION SPACECRAFT THAT’LL CIRCLE THE MOON TO COLLECT CRITICAL DATA BEFORE COMPLETING THE JOURNEY IN ABOUT 25 DAYS.

BUT THERE ARE HURDLES. THIS MISSION, HYPOTHETICALLY, ONLY TAKES ASTRONAUTS TO THE MOON’S ORBIT, NOT THE ACTUAL SURFACE.

ENTER STARSHIP, A 21ST CENTURY UPGRADE TO WHAT WAS USED IN 1969.

NASA HAS HIRED ELON MUSK’S SPACEX TO DEVELOP STARSHIP. IT WILL BE ABLE TO CARRY ASTRONAUTS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN ORION AND THE LUNAR SURFACE. IT’S FIRST TRIP IS SET FOR 2025.

BUT NASA IS WAITING UNTIL THIS TEST FLIGHT IS OVER BEFORE ANNOUNCING WHICH ASTRONAUTS WILL BE ON THE NEXT ONE.

ULTIMATELY, NASA’S PLAN IS TO ESTABLISH A BASE ON THE MOON – SOMETHING CHINA IS ALSO LOOKING INTO. NASA HOPES TO REACH THEIR GOALS WITHIN THE NEXT 25 OR SO YEARS