April 1 (Reuters) - Four astronauts blasted off from Florida on Wednesday on NASA's Artemis II mission, a 10-day trip around the moon that would be the farthest humans have ever traveled and a major step toward returning people to the lunar surface this decade.
Following are some reactions.
NASA ADMINISTRATOR JARED ISAACMAN AT PRESS CONFERENCE:
"So after a brief 54-year intermission, NASA is back in the business of sending astronauts to the moon. We arrived at this point through a sustained effort,
a national commitment, and the work of thousands across the agency, our industry partners and our international allies."
CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY IN A STATEMENT:
“Today, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen makes history as the first Canadian to venture to the Moon. With Artemis II, Canada becomes only the second nation on Earth to send an astronaut on a lunar mission. This remarkable achievement is a testament to Colonel Hansen's exceptional skill, and to the decades of discipline, dedication, and perseverance that brought him to this moment. It is also a testament to Canada and our world-class science, our cutting-edge technology, and our remarkable astronauts."
FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON ON X:
"With Artemis II, more than fifty years after Apollo 17, the Moon once again becomes that gathering place for peoples who pool their resources and dare to dream. French, Europeans, we can be proud to take part in this extraordinary adventure by playing a key role thanks to the European service module developed by the ESA (European Space Agency)."
RETIRED ASTRONAUT AND FORMER NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLIE BOLDEN TO REUTERS:
"It was incredible to see. I'm an emotional person, just tears of joy, thinking about all the people that have been working to this day for more than a decade just to get here. Very proud. I hope that in the morning when I wake up and I watch all the news coverage, no matter what country it's coming from, people will be saying, 'We are on our way back to the moon.' We are on our way back to the moon.'"
(Compiled by Jamie Freed; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
