A space flight that contains human ashes has launched from Florida.
United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, launched its powerful Vulcan rocket from Florida this morning in a mission that will feature the first US moon landing attempt in more than 50 years.
Space robotics firm Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander launched toward space at 2:18am EST (7:18am GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida on the first flight of Vulcan.
The flight contains a payload of human ashes arranged by space memorial service Celestis.
People take photographs during the launch of the rocket
Reuters
The remains include those of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and members of the original TV series cast.
If all goes well, Peregrine would mark the first US soft landing on the moon since the final Apollo landing in 1972, and the first-ever lunar landing by a private company.
This is a feat that has proved elusive in recent years.
Peregrine is set to land on the moon on February 23 with scientific payloads aboard that will seek to gather data about the lunar surface ahead of planned future human missions.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The launch took place in Florida earlier today
Nasa
The launch was a crucial first for United Launch Alliance (ULA).
Vulcan has spent roughly a decade in development to replace ULA's workhorse Atlas V rocket and rival the reusable Falcon 9 from Elon Musk's SpaceX in the satellite launch market.
ULA mission official Eric Monda praised the launch, saying everything was running smoothly.
He said: "Everything looks just spot on, just perfect."
NASA launch rocket set to be first US lander on moon in 50 yearsReutersThe launch marks the first trek to the moon's surface as part of NASA's Artemis moon program.
There are multiple payloads on board alongside the Celestis package.
One, a shoebox-sized rover from Carnegie Mellon University, is set to become the first US robot to take a spin on the moon.
The Peregrine moon lander is set to separate from the Centaur stage of the mission later this morning.
