April 1 (Reuters) - NASA's Artemis program is the U.S. effort to return astronauts to the moon for the first time since the Apollo era and eventually establish a sustained human presence there, a goal Washington has framed as central to maintaining space leadership amid growing competition from China.

NASA's Artemis II astronauts launched on a nine-and-a-half-day mission around the moon and back. The rocket lifted off Wednesday evening from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EDT. The spectacular launch marked the first piloted moonshot since the end of the Apollo program 53 years ago.

A NASA official explains the goals, training and significance behind the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years.

The U.S. space agency launched a lunar flyby Wednesday, but Beijing is pursuing its own space program with formidable focus. Here’s what we know about it, in photos and videos.

From Mercury & Apollo Missions to the Space Shuttle Program, Mars Rover Landings, & Artemis II. NASA officials held a news conference at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to highlight progress on the upcoming Artem… “The ability to turn around our ...

NASA’s Space Launch System, the agency’s flagship rocket designed to carry astronauts back to the Moon under the Artemis program, stands 322 feet tall in its Block 1 configuration. That height exceeds the Statue of Liberty and rivals many mid-rise office towers found in American cities.

Instead of chasing a quick landing, NASA is planning a step-by-step effort to build the systems needed for astronauts to stay on the Moon.

Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator, outlines how the US space program actively supports military operations by utilizing satellites for observation and communication. Isaacman highlights the Space Force's role in monitoring Iran's military moves,