Edmontonians celebrate the launch of history as Artemis II takes off

About 400 Edmontonians gathered at Telus World of Science on Wednesday hoping to see history unfold with the launch of Artemis II.

One Edmontonian went on a mission of his own to watch history being made on Wednesday.

Zachary Aubert joined more than 40,000 spectators in Florida for the launch of Artemis II, humankind’s first lunar voyage in more than 50 years.

Aubert runs “The Launch Pad,” an online space platform that provides live updates and news on all things celestial. He was invited by NASA to get the live updates in person at the Kennedy Space Center.

“A launch is something you have to experience. Many of us joke, once you have one, you become addicted,” he told CTV News ahead of the rocket’s evening launch.

“There’s just something about the power, the vibrations, the feeling that you get, and it’s different with every rocket.”

Aubert grew up watching the Apollo program tapes – the initiative to send the first humans to the moon in the 60s and 70s – and has been hooked ever since.

Meanwhile, back in Edmonton, at least 400 people were also having a blast at the Telus World of Science Centre.

The launch had most kids at the sold-out centre cheering and waving Canadian flags as they celebrated the future of what NASA hopes will be modern moon landings.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Miriam Valdes-Carletti