Bernd Debusmann Jr
The first journey to deep space since 1972 comes at a crucial time in Donald Trump's presidency.
The US is bitterly divided on topics ranging from the ongoing US strikes in Iran to immigration and the economy.
So a successful Artemis mission, sending four astronauts to the Moon on Wednesday, could give Trump's administration a boost. The potential benefits are huge - a competitive edge with China, the possibility of a lunar gold rush, and a rare moment of national unity.
Officially, the mission - which will take the crew further into space than anyone has ever been before - is a stepping stone, Nasa says, towards a permanent lunar base and eventually, Mars.
'Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars'
While US interest in returning to the Moon pre-dates his entry into politics, Trump directly created what became Artemis in his first term, vowing to "launch American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars". He also saw military opportunities and launched a new arm of the Pentagon, Space Force.
In his second term, however, Trump's goal has shifted to the Moon. In December last year, he signed an executive order calling for a US return to the Moon by 2028 and the establishment of a permanent outpost there by 2030. The order said that US superiority in space was a measure of national vision and willpower, contributing to the nation's strength, security and prosperity.
Not mentioned in the executive order was lunar competition from China - a factor that Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman has laid out explicitly.
"We find ourselves with a real geopolitical rival, challenging American leadership in the high ground of space," Isaacman said at a Nasa event on 24 March. "This time, the goal is not flags and footprints," he added. "This time, the goal is to stay. America will never again give up the Moon."
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