Watch: Artemis II Mission Faces 40-Minute Communications Blackout

During the Artemis II astronauts’ journey behind the Moon, a 40-minute loss of communication with Earth occurred. This disruption was anticipated due to the Moon blocking the spacecraft’s signals. NASA confirmed that the crew reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles (406,771 km) from Earth during the blackout.

“It is so great to hear from Earth again,” said astronaut Christina Koch once contact was restored.

Meanwhile, the average gas price in the U.S. has exceeded $4 for the first time since 2022, driven by ongoing tensions in the Iran war. The BBC’s Gary O’Donoghue interviewed a farmer in Alabama, who remains a supporter of President Trump despite mounting financial challenges.

A newly installed artwork titled “A Throne Fit for a King” has been unveiled at the National Mall, offering a critical commentary on President Trump’s White House renovation efforts. For the 10-day mission, NASA scientists have introduced a novel “universal waste management system,” referred to as the space loo.

Training for the Artemis II crew took place at the Johnson Space Center in Texas, beginning shortly after the team was officially announced in 2023. The mission’s spacesuits are engineered to safeguard astronauts during launch, landing, and potential emergency situations.

Across the U.S., large demonstrations against the Trump administration have emerged, with the third round of No Kings rallies taking place in major cities. Simultaneously, New York City’s airport is grappling with record delays, attributed to TSA agents operating without pay amid a government shutdown.

Conservatives attending the annual CPAC conference in Texas expressed divided opinions on the current economic climate. This comes after a Los Angeles jury ruled that Meta and Google deliberately designed addictive social media platforms that negatively impact young users’ mental health.

In her first post-disappearance interview, Savannah Guthrie described the moment she realized her mother was missing and considered whether her celebrity status might have made her a target. The wreckage from a recent collision blocked access to one of two runways at the bustling New York City airport.

Video footage captures the aftermath of a passenger plane crash into a firefighting vehicle on the airport’s runway. BBC Verify analyzed the events leading up to the deadly collision. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been deployed to assist TSA personnel during the partial government shutdown.

Valero, a refinery operator, reported no injuries in the incident to CBS, the BBC’s U.S. news partner. A robot joined First Lady Melania Trump at the White House, while Trump is set to host a summit on artificial intelligence, education, and digital safety for children.

The yellow Labrador Retriever named Tessie sustained no injuries during the fall or rescue operation and is now back in her yard after crews filled the sinkhole. As Canada’s Supreme Court reviews Bill 21, the province’s secularism law, some Muslim women claim they have borne the brunt of its implications.