Pilot Victor Glover said he was surprised when the crew got the "go for launch," turning the mission into reality.

"We like to say that we're prepared without having an expectation, but you know in the back of your mind, you kind of hope you launch," he explained. "And then when we got really close, it was like, wait, we're getting ready to go to space. And when those solids lit, you know, it was a ride where you're trying to be professional, but the kid inside of you wants to break out and just hoot and holler."

Glover credited NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team and launch control team, who have been preparing for the mission for months.

"It was an example of how hard they've been working lately that we launched," he said. "Even though we didn't get to really watch, but it felt beautiful."

As the crew answered questions, they passed around a floating microphone in zero gravity. The crew had just completed a trans-lunar injection burn, committing the mission to a trajectory toward the moon.

"We are definitely 100% on our way to the moon," commander Reid Wiseman said. "The lunar gravity will take over in a couple of days here and start pulling us around the far side."

Wiseman highlighted the significance of the Artemis II mission.

"At the end of our trans-lunar injection here, about an hour and a half ago, we just really looked at each other. And I know the United States has done this 1968 through 1972, but it's just – this is unbelievable that we can put our minds to something and pull it off. This is an unbelievable technical accomplishment," he said.

Koch added that the crew was proud that it was traveling farther from Earth than any crewed mission in more than 50 years.

"We are not necessarily a crew that lives on superlatives, but it is a milestone that's important," she said. "It's important that people can understand and wrap their heads around what is the latest in what we're doing? What does this mean relative to what we've done in the past? What are we gonna be pushing for into the future?"

Artemis II follows the uncrewed Artemis I test flight and marks a major step toward future missions, including Artemis III, which is expected to involve a lunar lander from SpaceX, Blue Origin or both, according to NASA.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.