NASA launched the first of three spacecraft in bid to return to the moon after 50 years

Artemis 1 is the first of three launches planned in the Artemis program set to establish a lunar outpost 'gateway' for further cosmic exploration.

The un-crewed launch took place after setbacks including extreme weather, a liquid nitrogen leak and a faulty temperature sensor that caused delays this year.

The vessel will spend 25 days covering a 2.1million kilometre loop around the moon before returning to earth.

Melbourne space laboratory director, Michele Trenti, said Artemis will eventually take humans to the moon and beyond.

"The Artemis program will close this capability gap and start a new journey, that hopefully in a few years time, will take us to the moon and set the path to go beyond the moon and eventually reach Mars," he said.

"By going out to space and developing the technology necessary to support life outside our planet, they're making giant technological leaps," Mr Trenti said.

The heat of deep space and steep angle of re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere is expected to test the heatshield protecting the Orion capsule, enduring temperatures of up to 2800 degrees Celsius.

The journey will also test the safety and efficacy of the Orion capsule, Space Launch System rocket and ground systems before Artemis 2 flies the route with astronauts in May 2024.

Artemis 3, expected to launch in 2025, will use SpaceX rockets to ferry passengers to the surface of the moon from an Artemis space station in lunar orbit.

NASA is estimating the cost of the Artemis program will reach US$93bn (AUD$139bn) by 2025, with each launch costing US$4.1bn (AUD$5.9bn).

The Artemis program is reinvigorating research into lunar exploration technology that lay dormant following the end of NASA's Apollo project in 1975.

Artemis 1 is expected to splashdown in the ocean outside of San Diego on December 11.

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