After a few false starts, the Artemis I mission lifted off this morning, sending an uncrewed Orion capsule around the moon and back.
The massive rocket at the core of the Space Launch System was built here in New Orleans, as was the crew capsule.
NASA Michoud Assembly Facility Director Lonnie Dutreix says getting this mission off the ground is a long time coming.
"Very excited," he said. "You know, to see the stuff you've touched, put your hands on, you've built, finally assembled on the launch pad, ready to launch, it's very exciting."
Michoud is already at work building the rockets for the next four Artemis missions, and a successful Artemis I mission could mean even more orders.
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"I believe we're looking at, out, maybe Artemis X," said Dutreix. "We look at this as a long-term, sustainable program, you know, 20, 25 years."
Artemis II, set for 2024, will bring astronauts back to lunar orbit, with Artemis III set to be humankind's return to the lunar surface.