‘Absolutely spectacular’: Artemis II crew see first glimpse of far side of Moon
Absolutely Spectacular: Artemis II Crew’s First View of Moon’s Far Side
Nasa’s Artemis II mission team has shared their experience of witnessing the far side of the Moon for the first time. The crew, consisting of astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency member Jeremy Hansen, are in their third day aboard the Orion spacecraft. As they orbit the lunar far side, the team captured images of the Orientale basin, a feature NASA highlighted as the first fully visible to human eyes.
“Something about you senses that is not the Moon that I’m used to seeing,” Koch remarked.
According to NASA’s tracking data, the spacecraft was over 180,000 miles (289,681km) from Earth at 23:00 BST on Saturday. This distance marks a significant milestone in the mission’s trajectory.
Supreme Court and Public Discourse
The BBC’s Ione Wells engaged with protesters and participants at the Supreme Court during a hearing on President Donald Trump’s executive order. Meanwhile, the average gasoline price in the U.S. surpassed $4, attributed to rising tensions in the Iran war. A farmer in Alabama, despite economic hardships, expressed continued support for Trump during a conversation with BBC’s Gary O’Donoghue.
Government Shutdown and Air Travel Disruptions
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were deployed to U.S. airports to assist TSA during a partial government shutdown, leading to prolonged delays at the New York City airport. The installation “A Throne Fit for a King” at the National Mall served as a commentary on Trump’s White House renovations. Large demonstrations against the Trump administration occurred across the country, with the third No Kings rally drawing widespread attention.
Political and Economic Perspectives
Conservatives attending the annual CPAC conference in Texas offered mixed assessments of the current economic climate. The recent jury ruling in Los Angeles linked Meta and Google to the design of addictive social media platforms, prompting public concern over youth mental health. BBC Verify analyzed the moments preceding a fatal collision at the New York airport, where a passenger plane struck a fire truck on the runway.
Personal and Public Impact
In her post-disappearance interview, Savannah Guthrie recounted discovering her mother was missing and pondered if her fame played a role in the incident. The wreckage from the crash blocked one of two runways at the bustling airport. Earlier, a robot appeared alongside First Lady Melania Trump at the White House, as the administration hosted a summit focused on AI, education, and digital safety initiatives.
Animal and Human Resilience
A yellow Labrador Retriever named Tessie was unharmed after a fall and subsequent rescue, returning to her yard once crews repaired the sinkhole. The National Mall installation, which critiqued Trump’s renovations, stands as a symbol of public sentiment. No injuries were reported by Valero, the refinery operator, to CBS as the incident unfolded.
