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.Here are some reactions.U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IN ADDRESS TO NATION:”Let me begin by congratulating the team at NASA and our brave astronauts on the successful launch of Artemis II. It was quite something.AdvertisementAdvertisement”It will be travelling further than any manned rocket has ever flown and will very substantially pass the moon, go around it and come back home from a distance that has never been done before.”It’s amazing. They are on their way and god bless them, these are brave people. God bless those four unbelievable astronauts.”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.”AdvertisementAdvertisementCANADIAN PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY IN A STATEMENT:More in Science”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 mom …
