Watch: Artemis II’s historic lunar flyby… in 90 seconds
Watch: Artemis II’s historic lunar flyby… in 90 seconds
NASA’s Artemis II crew set a new record for distance from Earth, surpassing all previous human achievements. The Orion spacecraft’s astronauts experienced a 40-minute communication blackout while orbiting the Moon’s far side, as anticipated. Upon re-establishing contact, mission commander Christina Koch shared:
“It’s so great to hear from Earth again.”
The team also observed a total solar eclipse, with the Moon casting a shadow over the planet. Following the flyby, President Trump commended the astronauts, stating:
“Today, you’ve made history and made all America really proud, incredibly proud.”
Additional Stories
At the annual ‘Great Marshmallow Drop’, more than 15,000 fluffy treats were released from a helicopter, prompting children to sprint for collection. A former prosecutor, who represented President Trump in a hush-money case, maintains a long-standing alliance with the leader. The BBC’s Ione Wells interviewed protesters and supporters outside the Supreme Court during a hearing on Trump’s executive order. Meanwhile, US fuel prices climbed above $4, marking the first time since 2022, driven by the ongoing Iran conflict.
Farmer John Smith of Alabama, despite financial strain, remains a vocal Trump supporter. A public art piece titled “A Throne Fit for a King” was installed at the National Mall, symbolizing criticism of Trump’s White House updates. Protests against the administration surged across the country, with the third No Kings rally drawing widespread attention. Airport delays in the US reached record levels as TSA agents operated without pay during a partial government shutdown.
Conservatives at the CPAC conference in Texas expressed mixed views on the current economic climate. The backlash intensified after a Los Angeles jury ruled Meta and Google designed addictive platforms harmful to youth mental health. Savannah Guthrie, in her first post-disappearance interview, recounted discovering her mother’s absence and reflecting on fame’s potential role in her mother’s fate. The wreckage from a recent crash impeded one of two runways at a major New York City airport.
A robotic companion joined First Lady Melania Trump at the White House during a public appearance. President Trump convened an AI summit to address education and digital safety for children. The yellow Labrador Retriever, Tessie, suffered no injuries during a fall and is now back in her yard after a sinkhole was repaired. BBC Verify analyzed the moments preceding a fatal collision at the New York airport involving a fire truck.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were deployed to US airports to assist TSA during the partial shutdown. Valero, a refinery operator, confirmed no injuries were reported from the incident. A video captured the aftermath of a passenger plane colliding with a firefighting vehicle on the New York airport’s runway. As Canada’s secularism law, Bill 21, faces legal scrutiny, some Muslim women claim they bear the greatest burden from the policy.
