Watch: Artemis II mission loses contact with Earth for 40 minutes
Watch: Artemis II mission loses contact with Earth for 40 minutes
During the Artemis II crew’s journey around the Moon, a 40-minute communication gap with Earth occurred. The interruption was anticipated due to the Moon blocking signals between the spacecraft and ground control. NASA reported that the crew reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles (406,771km) from Earth during the blackout. Once contact was restored, astronaut Christina Koch remarked:
“It is so great to hear from Earth again.”
Fuel prices in the U.S. have surged past $4 per gallon for the first time since 2022, driven by ongoing tensions in the Iran conflict. The BBC’s Gary O’Donoghue interviewed a farmer in Alabama, who, despite financial strain, remains a vocal supporter of President Trump. Meanwhile, a large protest against the Trump administration unfolded in multiple U.S. cities, with participants calling the gatherings “No Kings” as a symbol of opposition to White House renovations.
A controversial installation titled “A Throne Fit for a King” was unveiled at the National Mall, critiquing the administration’s design choices. NASA scientists have introduced a novel “universal waste management system” for the 10-day mission, dubbed the space loo. The crew’s training at Johnson Space Center in Texas began shortly after their names were officially announced in 2023.
Artemis II spacesuits are engineered to safeguard astronauts during launch, landing, and potential emergencies. The airport in New York faced prolonged delays due to a government shutdown, with TSA agents operating without compensation. A robot joined First Lady Melania Trump at the White House, coinciding with Trump’s summit on AI, education, and digital safety for children.
Air Canada’s plane, carrying 72 passengers and four crew, initially landed safely from Montreal before colliding with a firefighting vehicle on the runway. The wreckage temporarily disrupted access to one of two runways at the busy airport. BBC Verify analyzed the moments leading up to the deadly crash, highlighting the sequence of events. Valero, a refinery operator, confirmed no injuries were reported in the incident.
Conservatives at the annual CPAC conference in Texas expressed mixed reactions about the current economic climate. As Bill 21, the province’s secularism law, faces a legal challenge in Canada’s Supreme Court, some Muslim women claim they’ve endured significant personal costs. Meanwhile, a yellow Labrador Retriever named Tessie was unharmed after a fall and rescue, returning to her yard following crews’ efforts to fill a sinkhole.
