There’s a lot we can say about our political leaders. Are they corrupt? Yes. Are they power hungry? Yes. Are they a bunch of evil, soulless goblins? Yes. But what may be most significant — the trait that may have the most bearing on the future of our country — is that they are, by and large, extremely stupid.
There is little doubt that we are, right now, led by the dumbest collection of muddle-headed morons that has ever been assembled in our nation’s capital — or any nation’s capital. It is difficult to overstate just how monstrously stupid these people are.
If you doubt that, then please consider this video of Democrat Representative Sheila Jackson Lee.
Before we get to the video, you should understand a few things about Sheila Jackson Lee. First, she is a former member of the Science Committee. Second, she is also a former member of the Space and Aeronautics Committee. The third is that she is, once again, a sitting member of congress. In that position, she gave an address on Monday to students from Booker T. Washington High School in Houston, Texas. This address happened on the occasion of the eclipse. In fact — and this is not the really stupid part, though it is a stupid part — she claims that she, as she put it on Twitter, “created the opportunity” for the students to see the eclipse. Lee tweeted: 
<blockquote>Today, I created the opportunity to see a unique science and solar experience for the students at Booker T. Washington High School. As a former member of the Science Committee and former Ranking Member of the Space and Aeronautics Committee, this was an irreplaceable moment in history. There should be more opportunities to introduce science to our diverse and vulnerable communities! So many students came out to see history for themselves! Many remarked “this is the first time I’ve ever seen this” as they made their way to the field. Despite over 90% of Booker T’s students being economically disadvantaged, it has managed to build an enthusiastic environment where students are excited to explore the wonders of space and exploration. The hallmark of this excitement is anchored in opportunity.</blockquote>
Now there’s enough in these few sentences alone to assess that Sheila Jackson Lee has approximately the IQ of a toothpick.
For one thing, she’s somehow taking credit for the eclipse. She seems to suggest that these young people would not have been able to look up at the sky and view this celestial event if not for her intervention. By gathering with the kids and pointing at the sky and saying, “Hey check it out,” she is, apparently, creating the opportunity to look at the sky. Without her, they never would have thought to look at the sky, or known how to look at it.
Second, she seems to chide us for not giving “more opportunities” to “diverse and vulnerable” communities to view events like this. But she doesn’t explain how we’re supposed to create opportunities for diverse communities to see an eclipse in the sky during times when there is no eclipse in the sky. It only happens once every several years. What are we supposed to do about that? I guess we could invite diverse communities to come outside once a month and then put our hands in front of their faces to sort of simulate the effect of an eclipse, but I’m not sure what that would achieve. Sheila Jackson Lee doesn’t elaborate.
Third, as further evidence of her toothpick IQ, she says this: “The hallmark of this excitement is anchored in opportunity.” Now I want to be very clear that this statement means absolutely nothing. There is no way to make sense of that sentence. There is no meaning we can really glean from it. I think that maybe what she’s trying to say is that the kids were excited for the opportunity to watch the eclipse, which Sheila Jackson Lee had somehow created by some unspecified means. But the phrase “anchored in opportunity” is at best clunky and unnecessarily wordy, and the phrase “the hallmark of this excitement” is just incredibly dumb. Together they make a dumb sandwich.
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1344-member-of-the-party-of-science-doesn-t-know-what-the-moon-is-member-exclusive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Matt Walsh Show</a></h4>
In fact Sheila Jackson Lee, we can tell from this alone, is the dumbest kind of dumb person. She’s the exact inverse of the smartest kind of smart person. The smartest kind of smart person is someone who understands complex topics but talks about them in simple ways using simple words. On the other end of the spectrum is the dumbest dumb person who tries to use big words to communicate simple ideas, but doesn’t understand the words they’re using, and so they don’t manage to effectively convey even the simplest idea.
So by all of that evidence alone, we already know that Sheila Jackson Lee is a momentous moron. But it’s about to get so much worse.
At this event, before somehow, in an unclear way, providing kids the opportunity to look at the sky, she addressed the crowd of students and gave them a little lesson in astronomy.
Unfortunately, though, she has an understanding of astronomy that is so garbled, confused, and delusional that my four-year-old daughter could easily fact check her. Here’s what she said:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="001 Moon Is Made Of Gas" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-FiGa7qaw2U?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
So, this sitting congresswoman, who has been a member of the science committee and the space committee, says that the Moon is “made up mostly of gases.” She then juxtaposes the Moon with the Sun, which she says has a “mighty powerful heat” while the Moon is “more manageable.” So she appears to believe not only that the Moon is a gaseous entity but also that it gives off its own light and heat. She very much appears to believe that the Moon is basically a much dimmer, cooler version of the Sun. I’m not exaggerating or trying to be funny here. That’s really what she apparently believes.
And it is needless to say — hopefully needless to say — completely false. The moon is solid. Its surface is rocky. The light it gives off is the light it reflects from the Sun. It does not create its own light. This is a very basic fact about our solar system that every child by first grade should understand.
If my ten-year-old thought that the Moon was made of gas, I would be concerned. That would be a disturbing level of ignorance for a ten-year-old. For a 74-year-old congresswoman it is horrifying. Not to mention baffling. I truly have no idea how you can live through seven and a half decades and never encounter even the most basic facts about the Moon. This is like if a 74-year-old woman declared that the Pacific Ocean is made of chocolate syrup. It’s not just that the belief is wildly off base. It’s that it would seem impossible to maintain such an outrageous misconception for that many years. Yet that is what she has done.
Later that day, Lee responded to the mockery over these comments. She said this: “Obviously I misspoke and meant to say the sun, but as usual, Republicans are focused on stupid things instead of stuff that really matters. What can I say though, foolish thinkers lust for stupidity!”
Now, once again, we have a statement here that makes no sense and means nothing. “Foolish thinkers lust for stupidity.” What? What does that mean? It doesn’t mean anything.
She just thinks it sounds insightful, so she said it. Because she is quite literally dumber than a grasshopper. She claims that she was really talking about the Sun, which is the worst excuse she could have offered. If anyone on her team was at least slightly more intelligent than her, they would have suggested that she try to claim that she was referring to the Moon’s atmosphere when she referenced its gases.
The Moon does have a very thin atmosphere made up of helium, methane, and other gases. It would be a hell of a stretch to try to spin it that way, but at least that would be a somewhat workable excuse. Instead she comes up with the least plausible cover story imaginable.
Let’s go back and see what her statement would sound like if you swap in the word “sun” for moon. It would be this: “A full sun is a complete rounded circle, which is made up mostly of gases. The question is how could we live on the sun? Are the gases such that we could do that? The sun is a mighty powerful heat. It’s almost impossible to go near the sun. The sun is more manageable, and you will see in a moment, well not a moment, but in a couple of years, that NASA is going back to the sun.”
To be clear, that’s what she’s claiming she meant to say. So the spin that this ignoramus came up with is that she didn’t mean to say that stupid thing —she actually meant to say an even stupider thing. Now we have a choice. Either Shiela Jackson Lee thinks that the Moon is made up of gases. Or she thinks that we can live on the Sun and that NASA, in a couple of years, will be visiting the Sun — or rather going back to it, because they’ve already visited it. Pick your poison. And keep in mind that what you just heard was only a 45 second clip of remarks that went on for more than five minutes. Remarks that also featured this claim:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="003 Close To The Moon" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8aL72NdxZ5o?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Okay, now I can’t be sure what exactly this lunatic is babbling about, but she seems to be confusing an eclipse with a Supermoon. The latter occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon’s closest approach to Earth, which is something that happens not once every 20 years, but a few times every year.
As for the statement that “they will shut the light down,” I honestly have no idea what that’s even supposed to mean. Who is &#8220;they&#8221;? Does she think there are people living on the moon who manually control how much light comes from the Sun? In my entire life I’ve never heard anyone refer to the moon as a “they.” Does she think the Moon is non-binary? We can’t be sure. But she keeps going. Listen: 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="004 The Solar System Controls All" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tmA1v10iH4s?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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The Moon and Sun create our music, she says. That’s obviously asinine but it is the closest she gets to something resembling a coherent thought. The problem is that right before that she claims that there are solar systems “smaller than the Earth.” That would mean that somewhere in the universe there is a star that, together with the planets orbiting it, is smaller than the Earth itself and so small in fact that the orbit of the planets around it is no greater than the diameter of the Earth. For the record, there is no evidence that anything like this exists anywhere in the universe. But it does exist in Sheila Jackson Lee’s imagination. A place where the Moon is not only made up of gases, but is also a planet:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="005 Live On The Moon" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3HvYAC7lt3k?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Now is probably a good time to tell you that this woman graduated from Yale. She’s a Yale graduate, a prominent congresswoman, and a former member of multiple science committees, yet she can’t even bull**** her way through a five minute presentation about the eclipse to a bunch of public school kids without diving headfirst into the most bizarre science fiction anyone has ever heard. This is like what would happen to me if I woke up one day and suddenly found myself standing in front of some sort of conference of mathematicians, expected to give a presentation about calculus. Except that I could probably get out at least one or two sentences before it becomes painfully obvious that I haven’t the slightest clue what I’m talking about. And also that’s calculus. In Shiela Jackson Lee’s case, she was asked to speak at a grade school level about the Moon, and couldn’t do it.
Fortunately she did fact check herself during her remarks, checking with someone to make sure her science was accurate. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="010 Nearly Correct Science 1" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dDBWcD7ur50?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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She was near it. Yes, about as near as the Earth is to Pluto. Which according to Sheila Jackson Lee is probably about 14 and a half miles or so.
Now, there is no reason to belabor the point any more than I already have. The point is that this woman, quite literally, could not pass a first grade science exam. And yet she is a member of “the party of science,” and has been a prominent congresswoman in that party for 30 years. And lest you think that perhaps this woman has not always been this stupid. Perhaps she is just another member of our ruling political class who is suffering from dementia or some other form of brain damage. Consider that way back in 1997 it was reported that this same congresswoman, then a member of the House Committee on Science, visited the Mars Pathfinder Operations Center in Pasadena, California and asked whether the Pathfinder — on Mars — had been able to find the flag planted there by Neil Armstrong. This question was not caught on camera, so after it was reported Sheila Jackson Lee’s office accused the journalist of racism. But now we know, all these years later, that believing we visited and planted a flag on Mars is actually the least idiotic misconception this woman has about our solar system.
We are ruled by morons. By people who should not be trusted to walk across the room holding a pair of scissors. People who probably have to wear velcro shoes so that they aren’t caught on camera struggling to tie their shoes. These are the people running the country.
The good news is that maybe we can convince them all to board a rocket ship and take a trip to visit the Sun. I hear it&#8217;s nice this time of year. And that would solve a lot of our problems.

Hunter Biden Addresses Being Called To Testify To House Oversight Committee On Capitol Hill

Member Of The ‘Party Of Science’ Doesn’t Know What The Moon Is

Congress

Matt Walsh

Moon

Readers Pass

Sheila Jackson Lee

Texas

universe

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) fired back at critics after she was caught on camera at an eclipse-viewing event telling students that the moon was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-congresswoman-tells-students-the-moon-is-made-of-gas-and-it-gets-worse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made of gases</a> — and she blamed Republicans and their &#8220;lust for stupidity&#8221; for focusing on her obvious error.
During the event, Jackson Lee told students, &#8220;You’ve heard the word ‘full moon.’ Sometimes you need to take the opportunity just to come out and see a full moon is that complete rounded circle, which is made up mostly of gases. And that’s why the question is why or how could we as humans live on the moon? Are the gases such that we could do that? The sun is a mighty powerful heat, but it’s almost impossible to go near the sun. The moon is more manageable.&#8221;
Jackson Lee claimed in an X post that she had been referring to the sun at the time, saying, &#8220;Obviously I misspoke and meant to say the sun, but as usual, Republicans are focused on stupid things instead of stuff that really matters. What can I say though, foolish thinkers lust for stupidity!&#8221;
She then pivoted to attack Republicans, adding, &#8220;They should be focusing on issues like prenatal care, building more affordable housing, and more reduction of student loan debt as President Joe Biden is &#8230; Also, I care more about these children who would not have experienced the eclipse in this enthusiastic manner. And, I care more about protecting the rights of women and children than engaging in this kind of senseless dialogue!&#8221;
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Also, I care more about these children who would not have experienced the eclipse in this enthusiastic manner. And, I care more about protecting the rights of women and children than engaging in this kind of senseless dialogue!
&mdash; Sheila Jackson Lee (@JacksonLeeTX18) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonLeeTX18/status/1777747903542350001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;She was on both the House Science and Space committees. Seriously. She represents a city that is one of the homes for NASA. It&#8217;s called &#8216;space city&#8217; for a reason. Vote better, people,&#8221; Robert Patrick Lewis pointed out.
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She was on both the House Science and Space committees. 
Seriously. She represents a city that is one of the homes for NASA. It&#39;s called &quot;space city&quot; for a reason.
Vote better, people. <a href="https://t.co/pav1CuqAEO">https://t.co/pav1CuqAEO</a>
&mdash; Robert Patrick Lewis (@RobertPLewis) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertPLewis/status/1778076038289125488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Just when I thought this story could not possibly get any better …&#8221; Josh Hammer added.
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Just when I thought this story could not possibly get any better …
😂 <a href="https://t.co/zuNCtgXD8R">https://t.co/zuNCtgXD8R</a>
&mdash; Josh Hammer (@josh_hammer) <a href="https://twitter.com/josh_hammer/status/1778045355076022573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Sheila Jackson Lee said that the Moon is made up of gases but we can live on it because the gases are &#8216;manageable.&#8217; Now she claims she was talking about the Sun, which would mean that she thinks we can live on the Sun,&#8221; The Daily Wire host Matt Walsh posted. &#8220;So her excuse is that she didn&#8217;t mean to say that dumb thing. She actually meant to say a much dumber thing. Either way this woman has the IQ of a strawberry.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Sheila Jackson Lee said that the Moon is made up of gases but we can live on it because the gases are &quot;manageable.&quot; Now she claims she was talking about the Sun, which would mean that she thinks we can live on the Sun. So her excuse is that she didn&#39;t mean to say that dumb thing.… <a href="https://t.co/iquRHyNQIo">https://t.co/iquRHyNQIo</a>
&mdash; Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1778027426510999711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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House Judiciary Committee Votes On Articles Of Impeachment

Sheila Jackson Lee Knows Just Who To Blame After She Claims Moon Is Made Of Gases

NASA

Politics

Science

Space

The last total solar eclipse to pass over the United States until August 23, 2044, will occur on Monday.
Beginning over the South Pacific Ocean, the total eclipse will be seen near Mazatlán, Mexico, then cross over Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas before heading toward Cleveland, Ohio. It will then pass over Buffalo, New York, northwestern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine before it vanishes from the United States.
The last previous total solar eclipse that Americans saw occurred on August 21, 2017. Monday’s eclipse differs from the previous eclipse in various ways; the path of totality — in which Americans can see the total eclipse rather than a partial eclipse, is much wider as its range extends between 108 and 122 miles wide, rather than from roughly about 62 to 71 miles wide, as it was in 2017. The path is wider because the Moon, whose distance from the Earth varies as it orbits our planet, is closer to the Earth today than in 2017.
Additionally, as NASA <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1712664565562000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3inJBAzhWgCiUv_PicA5K0">explains</a>:
<blockquote>
In 2017, the Sun was nearing solar minimum. Viewers of the total eclipse could see the breathtaking corona – but since the Sun was quiet, streamers flowing into the solar atmosphere were restricted to just the equatorial regions of the star. The Sun is more magnetically symmetrical during solar minimum, causing this simpler appearance. During the 2024 eclipse, the Sun will be in or near solar maximum, when the magnetic field is more like a tangled hairball. Streamers will likely be visible throughout the corona. In addition to that, viewers will have a better chance to see prominences – which appear as bright, pink curls or loops coming off the Sun.
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Because the sun is nearing solar maximum during Monday’s eclipse, viewers may be able to see sunspots more clearly if they use eclipse glasses.
“When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse directly with your eyes, which happens before and after totality, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times. You can also use an indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector,” NASA warns.
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The last total eclipse Americans could see before 2017 occurred in 1979. The 2044 eclipse will start over Greenland and be seen only by Americans in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Total eclipse of the Sun. The moon covers the sun in a solar eclipse

America Awaits Total Solar Eclipse, The Next One Over U.S. Won’t Be Until 2044

General

United States

The moon is shrinking, and future NASA flights may be profoundly affected by that new reality, a <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/ad1332" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new study</a> asserts.
As the moon’s metallic core continues to cool after it was formed roughly 4.5 billion years ago, the lunar surface — which is not supple but brittle — contracts even more, leaving it more vulnerable to earthquakes, as researchers from the University of Maryland posit. Those earthquakes could prompt landslides that would endanger astronauts on the surface.
“As we get closer to the crewed Artemis mission&#8217;s launch date, it&#8217;s important to keep our astronauts, our equipment and infrastructure as safe as possible,” Nicholas Schmerr, a geologist at the University of Maryland who helped author the study, stated. “This work is helping us prepare for what awaits us on the moon – whether that&#8217;s engineering structures that can better withstand lunar seismic activity or protecting people from really dangerous zones.”
NASA has plans to launch the Artemis III in 2026, the first time man has landed on the moon in over half a century. The flight is planned to land near the lunar South Pole.
“NASA’s Orion spacecraft will be the crew’s ride to and from Earth and into and out of lunar orbit,” NASA <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-iii/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>. “Orion is the only spacecraft capable of returning crews to Earth at lunar reentry velocities. &#8230; Four astronauts will depart from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida atop the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjc8Ynzg675AhUWkGoFHdHfAc0QFnoECAQQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasa.gov%2Fexploration%2Fsystems%2Fsls%2Findex.html&amp;usg=AOvVaw2BvvW8Jp9JimXG0SbFUAv0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Space Launch System (SLS)</a>, the only rocket powerful enough to send Orion, its crew, and their supplies to the Moon in a single launch.”
“First the crew will launch to Earth orbit where they will perform systems checks and solar panel adjustments on Orion. Then, a powerful push from SLS’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/fs/ICPS.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interim cryogenic propulsion stage</a> will help Orion perform a <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/to-the-moon.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">translunar injection</a> maneuver, setting its course to the Moon,” NASA continues, noting that Elon Musk’s Space X will “provide the human landing system that will transport Artemis III astronauts from Orion in lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon and back again.”
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“The lunar south pole regions are subjected to global stresses that result in contractional deformation and associated seismicity,” the study noted. “This deformation is mainly expressed by lobate thrust fault scarps; examples are globally distributed, including polar regions. One small cluster of lobate scarps falls within the de Gerlache Rim 2 Artemis III candidate landing region.”

The Moon Spotted In The Netherlands

The Moon Is Shrinking, Could Endanger Astronauts On Planned 2026 NASA Flight

Outer Space

America is falling behind in the race to send man to the moon again: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASA</a> has once again delayed its launch dates, this time citing major safety concerns.
NASA delayed the missions in an <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-shares-progress-toward-early-artemis-moon-missions-with-crew/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a> last week, citing unresolved issues including a battery, the heat shield, and a circuitry component responsible for air ventilation and temperature control.
The first crewed mission around the moon, Artemis II, was pushed back to September 2025. The first crewed mission to land on the moon since 1972, Artemis III, was pushed back to September 2026. Artemis II was originally scheduled for this November, and Artemis III was originally scheduled for December 2025.
According to NASA, the Artemis IV mission to land astronauts at the Gateway lunar space station remains on track for 2028. Artemis I, an uncrewed test flight, was originally planned to launch in November 2018 but didn’t launch until November 2022.
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In order to safely carry out our upcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Artemis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Artemis</a> missions to the Moon with astronauts, we are now targeting September 2025 for Artemis II and September 2026 for Artemis III.
Safety is our top priority. <a href="https://t.co/AjNjLo4U6E">https://t.co/AjNjLo4U6E</a> <a href="https://t.co/VE74OtlUr6">pic.twitter.com/VE74OtlUr6</a>
&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1744795716013175212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The Artemis mission series has the ultimate goal of preparing for human expeditions to Mars.
NASA officials offered an explanation for the delays in <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?532930-1/nasa-officials-testify-status-return-moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testimony</a> to the House Science and Space subcommittee on Wednesday.
The subcommittee reiterated the nation’s goal of landing a human crew within the decade, and emphasized the importance of beating other countries in landing the first crew on the moon: the first country there would establish precedence on the conduct and possibility of future lunar activities. Lawmakers called out China specifically.
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William Russell with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) expressed concern that NASA projected a launch of Artemis III within a year after Artemis II.
“One year is not a lot of time to do that learning, turn around and be ready for a September 2026 launch date,” said Russell.
Catherine Koerner, NASA associate administrator for exploration systems development, defended the timeline. Koerner said that America was still leading in the race to the moon.
“We believe that we will be on the surface of the moon before China is, and it’s our intent for that to happen,” said Koerner.
Koerner said that Artemis III vehicle processing would be far enough along prior to the launch date for Artemis II to make it feasible. Koerner noted that NASA’s 11 industry partners signed on to the adjusted launch dates.
“With Artemis, we’re building a capability: not just a launch capability but a capability in cislunar orbit, capability on the surface of the moon over time,” said Koerner.
Michael Griffin, former under secretary of defense for research and engineering for the Department of Defense and former NASA administrator, said that Artemis needed to be restarted in its entirety and would require congressional direction to the executive branch on how to continue. Griffin said that Artemis II was on a realistic schedule, but that Artemis III wasn’t.
“In my judgment, the Artemis program is excessively complex, unrealistically priced, compromises crew safety, poses very high mission risk of completion, and is highly unlikely to be completed in a timely manner to be successful,” said Griffin.
In addition to its testimony on Wednesday, GAO also <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107249?utm_campaign=usgao_email&amp;utm_content=topic_space&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a report on NASA’s delays and remaining major challenges.
GAO stated that they <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106256" target="_blank" rel="noopener">foreshadowed</a> NASA’s announcement of a delay back in November; they reported that NASA projected an ambitious schedule, had delays to key events, and had a significant amount of remaining technical work.
GAO also noted a lack of transparency with the mission costs: NASA has yet to provide an official cost for Artemis III, despite requesting $6.8 billion in its fiscal year 2024 budget request. Total requests for the upcoming Artemis missions have amounted to at least $38 billion over the next five years. GAO noted that they first reported the lack of fiscal transparency back in 2019, when they discovered NASA didn’t plan on establishing an official cost estimate for Artemis III.
Key partners in the Artemis missions include SpaceX, the company founded and led by X CEO Elon Musk, which is developing a human landing system; and Axiom Space, developing more advanced spacesuits.
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Adding a <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> crew arm for <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA</a> astronauts at launch pad 40 <a href="https://t.co/rQeQiBdE79">pic.twitter.com/rQeQiBdE79</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1721983986883305641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Challenges Persist In Getting Astronauts To The Moon; NASA Again Delays Launch Date

U.S.

Storm surge from Hurricane <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-an-escalating-forecast-tropical-storm-idalia-expected-to-hit-florida-as-major-hurricane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Idalia</a> could get a boost from an imminent supermoon as the tropical system rolls toward <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida">Florida</a> this week.
CNN meteorologist Chad Myers <a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1696624200209829905">explained</a> what to expect during a segment less than 24 hours before <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/national-weather-service-warns-hurricane-idalia-poses-unprecedented-danger-to-florida">Idalia is predicted to make landfall</a> somewhere over Florida&#8217;s Big Bend region between Panama City and Tampa on Wednesday.
&#8220;Right now, today and tonight, the moon is 18,000 miles closer than normal because the moon&#8217;s orbit isn&#8217;t a circle. It&#8217;s kind of a big egg,&#8221; Myers told anchor Jake Tapper. &#8220;So because it&#8217;s closer, you get about a 5% higher pull because it&#8217;s 5% closer than normal.&#8221;
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A rare blue supermoon could intensify Idalia’s storm surge as the hurricane is expected to make landfall on Florida’s west coast Wednesday.
The moon’s close proximity to Earth will strengthen its intensified gravitational pull and is expected to makes tides higher. <a href="https://t.co/DrZZaKE27y">pic.twitter.com/DrZZaKE27y</a>
&mdash; The Recount (@therecount) <a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1696624200209829905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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That stronger gravitational pull &#8220;is going to raise any of these storm surges that would have been — let&#8217;s say 14 feet — would make it 15 feet,&#8221; Myers added, figures which match the high-end of the <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT5+shtml/292354.shtml?">National Hurricane Center&#8217;s forecast</a> for water height above ground in some areas of Florida.
&#8220;You&#8217;re going to see these tides worldwide higher than normal,&#8221; he continued, &#8220;but it affects obviously this storm because as you push water onshore, if the tide&#8217;s going to be higher, you have to add that surge to the tide, and that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re going to see tonight.&#8221;
The moon will not just be a supermoon on Wednesday night, but a rare blue supermoon. Blue in this instance is not a reference to the color, but rather an indicator that it is the <a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/197/super-blue-moons-your-questions-answered/">second full moon in a single month</a>. There will <a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/197/super-blue-moons-your-questions-answered/">not be another blue supermoon</a> until 2037, according to NASA.
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As for right now, Brian Haines, the meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service office in Charleston, South Carolina, was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-idalia-supermoon-tides-c84a50eb054358f424934a6422373b73">quoted by the Associated Press</a> saying, &#8220;I would say the timing is pretty bad for this one.&#8221;
A low tide will take place in the morning on Wednesday in the Big Bend area followed by a high tide during midday, which <a href="https://weather.com/safety/hurricane/news/2023-08-28-tropical-storm-hurricane-idalia-strength-track-surge-size">a post by Weather.com</a> noted could be important depending on when Idalia actually makes landfall.
Idalia, which <a href="https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1696446609121567205" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strengthened into a hurricane</a> early on Tuesday, has already drenched Havana, Cuba, and has been intensifying as it moves over the warm waters of the Gulf Coast toward Florida. It reached Category 2 strength in the afternoon and is expected to intensify into a major Category 3 storm by Wednesday.
Heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and even tornados could affect Florida, as well as neighboring states in the coming days. And there will be storm surge, which prompted Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis">Ron DeSantis</a> to warn residents to seek refuge if they are in and around the Big Bend area — <a href="https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2023/08/29/cedar-key-florida-where-hurricane-idalia-path-track-gulf-mexico/70707213007/">mentioning Cedar Key in particular</a> — where myriad evacuation orders have been given.
&#8220;Storm surge is something — you&#8217;re not going to win that battle if you decide to stay behind for that,&#8221; DeSantis <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkuK-qusn0A">said</a> during a briefing. &#8220;You run away from the water and then you hide from the wind.&#8221;
The outer bands of the storm are already sweeping through parts of Florida. In fact, the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/video/watch-streets-flood-in-fort-myers-beach-as-hurricane-idalia-nears-florida/0D006961-D44C-49F8-97B6-E633C40EE1A6.html">streets of Fort Myers</a> were already flooding on Tuesday.

The Gibbous Moon

Supermoon Could Intensify Hurricane Idalia’s Storm Surge

Supermoon Could Intensify Hurricane Idalia's Storm Surge

Florida

Hurricane

Severe Weather

Weather

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> spacecraft crashed into the moon over the weekend, days before scientists had planned to land the craft there to test landing technology and search for water. 
The Luna-25 lander was supposed to be the first Russian craft to reach the moon since the 1970s, but Russian scientists lost contact during the mission, and it crashed, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russias-moon-mission-falters-after-problem-entering-pre-landing-orbit-2023-08-20/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Roscosmos, Russia’s state space corporation. 
&#8220;The apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the Moon,&#8221; Roscosmos said. 
A commission has been formed to investigate what led to the crash of the Luna-25, which is just the latest Russian space mission to go awry. The last Russian moon exploration took place in 1976 when Luna-24 was launched. 
Russia’s space corporation <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-luna-25-spacecraft-crashes-moon-lunar-south-pole-rcna100839" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had hoped</a> that Luna-25 would prove the country was “capable of delivering a payload to the moon” and “ensure Russia’s guaranteed access to the moon’s surface.”
Luna-25 was supposed to land on the moon’s south pole, where no other spacecraft has ever made a landing. Some say the area may be home to precious elements and frozen water. 
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“The first goal is to find the water, to confirm that it is there &#8230; to study its abundance,&#8221; <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-united-states-space-race-moon-launch-roscosmos-nasa-china-vladimir-putin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Olga Zakutnyaya, who works at Moscow’s Space Research Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences, earlier this month. 
Russia has faced technological and financial challenges in recent years, problems that have only been exacerbated by the cost of its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">war with Ukraine</a> and the massive economic sanctions placed on it by Western countries over the invasion. 
&#8220;It is so sad that it was not possible to land the apparatus,&#8221; said Mikhail Marov, a 90-year-old physicist and astronomer who worked in the Soviet space program decades ago. “This was perhaps the last hope for me to see a revival of our lunar program.&#8221;
Russia may work with China on future space missions, with plans for Lunar-26, Lunar-27, and Lunar-28.
An Indian spacecraft, the Chandrayaan-3, will attempt to land on the moon on August 23, a mission the Russians were competing against. India would be the fourth country to have a craft land on the moon, following the U.S., the Soviet Union, and China. A previous spacecraft from India crashed into the moon in 2019.

RUSSIA-VLADIVOSTOK-LUNAR STATION-LAUNCH

Russian Spacecraft Crashes Into Moon During First Lunar Mission In Almost 50 Years

Air &amp; Space

India

Russia

Ukraine-Russia War

World

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/japan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Japanese</a> company attempting to become the first private entity to land a spacecraft on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moon</a> said its attempt to make history was unsuccessful Tuesday. 
Tokyo-based company ispace, which develops spacecraft technology and builds landers and rovers, attempted to land its unmanned Mission 1 lunar lander on the northeastern sector of the moon around 12:40 p.m. ET Tuesday. As the spacecraft reached its final 30 feet of descent while traveling at 16 mph, the control team lost contact with it, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-spacecraft-japan-uae-555ec67e1150f8008b65243e3a6179d2?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_07" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
“We have to assume that we could not complete the landing on the lunar surface,” ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada said, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/25/ispace-moon-landing-watch-live.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CNBC.
Controllers for ispace reportedly had blank expressions as time went by after losing contact with the spacecraft. A commentator for the craft’s landing webcast told everyone watching to remain patient as the controllers waited to regain connection, but ispace employees were unable to reconnect to the spacecraft. 
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The primary landing site for our HAKUTO-R Mission 1 is Atlas Crater, located in the northeastern quadrant of the Moon. (1/3)
📸 <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ispace?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ispace</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HAKUTO_R?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HAKUTO_R</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lunarquest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lunarquest</a> <a href="https://t.co/qmomqdg17J">pic.twitter.com/qmomqdg17J</a>
&mdash; ispace (@ispace_inc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ispace_inc/status/1650746264076816385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The seven-foot-tall moon lander was carrying a mini lunar rover sent by the United Arab Emirates and also had a robot from Japan intended to roll around in the moon dust, the AP reported. The moon lander also carried other scientific research equipment and payloads from government agencies and companies in the U.S. and Canada. 
The Japanese company outlined 10 milestones for the Mission 1 lunar lander and had completed eight of those goals, CNBC reported. The ninth goal was landing on the moon’s surface and the final goal was to establish a power supply and communication with Earth.  
Last year, ispace got a $73 million contract with NASA to team up with Draper, a Massachusetts-based research organization, to fly cargo to the moon’s surface in 2025. 
Only the U.S., Russia, and China have successfully landed a spacecraft on the moon. An Israeli nonprofit organization attempted a moon landing in 2019, but its craft was destroyed during an attempted landing. 
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The failed landing from ispace comes days after American rocket company SpaceX attempted a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/spacex-provides-details-on-its-massive-rockets-explosion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launch</a> of the largest rocket ever built. The Starship rocket climbed 24 miles from its launch platform in Texas before it exploded during the stage of separation from its boosters. 
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk remained optimistic after the launch and explosion, saying that his employees “learned a lot” for the next test launch.

First Private Company Attempting Moon Landing Loses Contact With Spacecraft Moments Before Touchdown

Air and Space

Japan

The first Black <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">astronaut</a> to orbit the moon is making the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/space" target="_blank" rel="noopener">space</a> race about race.
Victor Glover was named as the pilot of next year&#8217;s Artemis II mission to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moon</a>; the first person of color to fly a mission to the moon. But in an interview with Axios Monday, Glover said that the United States is in a similar place as it was when the Apollo program was launched. To illustrate his perspective, he uses the 1970 poem &#8220;Whitey on the Moon.&#8221;
&#8220;Honestly, I started listening to [the poem] in the car to talk with my colleagues about it,&#8221; Glover told <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/04/18/nasa-astronaut-victor-glover-whitey-on-the-moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios</a>. &#8220;I live in the America that sent me to space, told my grandfather he couldn&#8217;t fly during the Korean conflict when he was enlisted, but he got to sit and watch me fly. We live in a very complicated country.&#8221;
&#8220;Whitey on the Moon&#8221; was written by jazz musician Gil Scott-Heron in 1970, and a performance of it was released on his album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox. In it, Scott-Heron complains about the money being spent on the Apollo program, while black Americans struggle with debt, poverty, and high taxes. The lyrics (in part) are as follows:
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<div class="ujudUb">A rat done bit my sister Nell. (with Whitey on the moon) Her face and arms began to swell. (and Whitey&#8217;s on the moon)</div>
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<div class="ujudUb">I can&#8217;t pay no doctor bill. (but Whitey&#8217;s on the moon) Ten years from now I&#8217;ll be payin&#8217; still. (while Whitey&#8217;s on the moon) &#8230;</div>
<div class="ujudUb"> Taxes takin&#8217; my whole damn check, Junkies makin&#8217; me a nervous wreck, The price of food is goin&#8217; up, An&#8217; as if all that s*** wasn&#8217;t enough &#8230;</div>
<div class="ujudUb"></div>
<div class="ujudUb WRZytc">Was all that money I made las&#8217; year (for Whitey on the moon?) How come there ain&#8217;t no money here? (Hm! Whitey&#8217;s on the moon) Y&#8217;know I jus&#8217; &#8217;bout had my fill (of Whitey on the moon) I think I&#8217;ll sen&#8217; these doctor bills, Airmail special (to Whitey on the moon)</div>
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In the 1960s and 70s, most Americans were skeptical of the space program, saying that the U.S. was spending too much on spaceflight, according to a 2012 report from <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/09/moondoggle-the-forgotten-opposition-to-the-apollo-program/262254/">The Atlantic</a>. Black activists especially, Scott-Heron among them, criticized the program for wasting money that could have gone to help struggling poor blacks.
Glover told Axios that the situation is in much the same place today in regards to skeptics. &#8220;Where we were in 1968, when humans first set out on this voyage, our country is in a very similar place now,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And it&#8217;s important to recognize and respect those skeptics.&#8221;
Glover himself spoke out on politics during the George Floyd protests in the summer of <a href="https://twitter.com/AstroVicGlover/status/1269298164575674369">2020</a>. He told the outlet that NASA understood his identity when he was hired. &#8220;When I came to NASA, you know, they said, &#8216;Hey, we hired you because of who you are,'&#8221; he said. &#8220;OK. Cool. You get all of it.&#8221;
Glover was named pilot of Artemis II, the first manned mission to the moon in nearly 50 years, on April 3. “The Artemis II crew represents thousands of people working tirelessly to bring us to the stars,&#8221; NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-names-astronauts-to-next-moon-mission-first-crew-under-artemis/">statement</a>. &#8220;This is their crew, this is our crew, this is humanity&#8217;s crew. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Hammock Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, each has their own story, but, together, they represent our creed: E pluribus unum – out of many, one. Together, we are ushering in a new era of exploration for a new generation of star sailors and dreamers – the Artemis Generation.”
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Astronaut Victor Glover

‘Whitey On The Moon’: First Black Astronaut To Orbit The Moon Uses 70s Poem To Make Space About Race

'Whitey On The Moon': First Black Astronaut To Orbit The Moon Uses 70s Poem To Make Space About Race

Race

NASA&#8217;s Orion capsule has successfully landed in a splashdown off the Mexican island of Guadalupe after nearly 26 days of travel to the Moon and back.
The voyage was part of Artemis I, a series of missions developing human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
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Splashdown! 🪂💦<a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Orion?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA_Orion</a> has returned, concluding the nearly 26-day <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Artemis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Artemis</a> I mission that took Orion from <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAKennedy</a>&#39;s Launch Pad 39B to a record-breaking 268,563 miles from Earth, into lunar orbit then landing safely in the Pacific Ocean.
Congrats, Orion! Go Artemis! <a href="https://t.co/b4gY3pgwyl">pic.twitter.com/b4gY3pgwyl</a>
&mdash; Boeing Space (@BoeingSpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/BoeingSpace/status/1602002581043441664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The Orion spacecraft separated from its service module at 11:00 a.m. CT in preparation for return to the Earth. The service module burned up in the atmosphere upon re-entry, while Orion descended over the Pacific Ocean in a parachute-guided splashdown.
&#8220;Parachute deployment begins at an altitude of about five miles with three small parachutes pulling the forward bay covers away,&#8221; NASA explained in a <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/12/11/artemis-i-flight-day-26-orion-crew-module-separation-from-service-module-complete/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. &#8220;Once the forward bay cover separates, two drogue parachutes will slow and stabilize the crew module for main parachute deployment. At an altitude of 9,500 feet and a spacecraft speed of 130 mph, three pilot parachutes will lift and deploy the main parachutes to slow Orion to a landing speed that ensures astronaut safety for crewed missions.&#8221;
After landing in the ocean, the module was expected to undergo testing and be transported to the U.S. Naval Base San Diego for inspection. A post-mission news conference is scheduled for later on Sunday.
On December 5, Orion completed its final moon fly-by before beginning its return to Earth. Before the final passing of the lunar surface, Orion traveled around the Moon on a trip longer than any spacecraft designed to carry humans has flown. The full trip surpassed more than 1.3 million miles.
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-nasa-moon-rocket-lifts-off-50-years-after-last-apollo-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, NASA’s Orion spacecraft headed toward the Moon in the first lunar rocket launch since the last Apollo mission 50 years ago.
The Artemis I mission launched the Space Launch System (SLS), the most powerful rocket in the world, in an uncrewed flight at 1:47 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 16, from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
“What an incredible sight to see NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft launch together for the first time. This uncrewed flight test will push Orion to the limits in the rigors of deep space, helping us prepare for human exploration on the Moon and, ultimately, Mars,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/liftoff-nasa-s-artemis-i-mega-rocket-launches-orion-to-moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> following the successful liftoff.
The Artemis project has been in preparation for more than a decade as NASA seeks to return humans to the Moon.
Artemis II, scheduled for 2024, is the next step in NASA&#8217;s plan to send humans in a spaceflight around the Moon in 2024. Artemis III, slated for 2025, is expected to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon&#8217;s surface.
WATCH:
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Orion

NASA’s Artemis I Successfully Returns From Moon Mission

NASA&#8217;s Orion spacecraft is on its way to the Moon in the first lunar rocket launch since the last Apollo mission 50 years ago.
The Artemis I mission launched the Space Launch System (SLS), the most powerful rocket in the world, in an uncrewed flight at 1:47 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
“What an incredible sight to see NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft launch together for the first time. This uncrewed flight test will push Orion to the limits in the rigors of deep space, helping us prepare for human exploration on the Moon and, ultimately, Mars,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/liftoff-nasa-s-artemis-i-mega-rocket-launches-orion-to-moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> following the successful liftoff.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Artemis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Artemis</a> I, you are going to the Moon! 
At 1:47 am EST the <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_SLS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA_SLS</a> rocket and <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Orion?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA_Orion</a> spacecraft launched from Florida to make its 280,000-mile journey to the Moon. Still to come we have coverage of major milestones, an inside look of Mission Control, and more. <a href="https://t.co/2SLQSrOSXc">pic.twitter.com/2SLQSrOSXc</a>
&mdash; NASA&#39;s Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Johnson/status/1592781241958662151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The lunar mission will take more than 25 days to visit the Moon and return to Earth in a key test ahead of the next planned mission to send American astronauts to the Moon within the next three years.
Jim Free, NASA deputy associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, celebrated the liftoff of Orion.
“It’s taken a lot to get here, but Orion is now on its way to the Moon,” Free said in the statement from NASA. “This successful launch means NASA and our partners are on a path to explore farther in space than ever before for the benefit of humanity.”
NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will conduct the mission over the next several days, with Orion expected to near the surface of the Moon on November 21.
The launch was highly celebrated after multiple delays since August. The initial attempt was stopped following a faulty temperature sensor. A launch one week later was also scrapped after discovering a liquid hydrogen leak.
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nasa-scrubs-2nd-attempt-at-moon-rocket-launch-after-another-fuel-leak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, the launch team had just begun filling Artemis I with nearly one million gallons of fuel early in the morning when they noticed the leak at the bottom of the rocket in the engine section, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/astronomy-space-launches-exploration-science-9a89bb77af17be3e3b5891a0b224ac69">reported</a>. Ground crews did their best to stop the leak and save the launch, attempting to stop and restart the flow of liquid hydrogen and flushing helium through the fuel line, but ultimately were forced to reschedule the mission.
Weather threats due to Hurricane Ian further delayed the Artemis I project that has involved the work of several thousand people worldwide.
The Artemis missions seek to eventually land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon with efforts to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface in preparation for a future Mars mission.
NASA’s ambitious goals are not the only plans for reaching the Moon. Russia and China have also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russia-and-china-partner-up-to-build-research-station-on-moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that they would collaborate on a future moon mission, while Elon Musk’s SpaceX is <a href="https://time.com/person-of-the-year-2021-elon-musk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developing</a> a project for a future lunar landing.

Artemis

New NASA Moon Rocket Lifts Off 50 Years After Last Apollo Mission

America&#8217;s Election Day will include a &#8220;blood moon&#8221; and the last total lunar eclipse for three years.
The eclipse will be visible from four continents, including North America, Asia, Australia, and parts of South America.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth, and moon align with the moon passing into the Earth&#8217;s shadow, <a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/185/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-lunar-eclipse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> NASA. When the moon is within the Earth&#8217;s shadow, called the umbra, it exhibits a reddish color, leading to the name of a &#8220;Blood Moon.&#8221;
A similar action causes our sky to appear blue and sunsets red. The phenomenon, called Rayleigh scattering, occurs as light travels in waves, with blue light having a shorter wavelength and scattering more easily in the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere.
Red light travels more directly through the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere, NASA explains, causing the sun to appear red, orange, or yellow at sunset when the light must pass through more atmosphere and travel farther.
Scientists note that no special equipment is necessary to view the lunar eclipse. A telescope or binoculars can enhance the view, along with observing the eclipse in an area away from bright lights.
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There are plenty of reasons to watch the skies in November: a total lunar eclipse, the Leonid meteors, and chances to see Mars, Saturn, and the star Spica! Check out the best times to spot these celestial bodies: <a href="https://t.co/hmYGKio4Mq">pic.twitter.com/hmYGKio4Mq</a>
&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1587871624329515009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
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NASA&#8217;s <a href="https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a005000/a005033/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientific Visualization Studio</a> can calculate the best times to view the lunar eclipse in a person&#8217;s local area. Totality will be visible in the early morning hours before moonset in all of North and Central America, in addition to the early evening after moonrise in Asia and Australia.
The moon will begin to enter the outer part of the Earth&#8217;s shadow on Tuesday at approximately 3 am EST. The period of totality will last for nearly an hour and a half, or 5:17 am until 6:42 am Eastern Standard Time.
“It’s a wonderful reminder of this really special connection between the Earth, the moon and the sun,” <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/11/04/total-lunar-eclipse-blood-moon/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=wp_main" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Noah Petro, a scientist with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Project at NASA. “Every eclipse is special because they’re all wonderful opportunities to go out and look at the moon, our nearest neighbor in space.&#8221;
Following Tuesday&#8217;s eclipse, the next total lunar eclipse will not occur until March 14, 2025.
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On November 8, 2022, the Moon will pass into Earth’s shadow and turn red. This will be the last total lunar eclipse for about 3 years, so be sure to check it out if it’s visible in your area. 
Learn more: <a href="https://t.co/zetjapudzV">https://t.co/zetjapudzV</a> <a href="https://t.co/PJ0AuQrfEC">pic.twitter.com/PJ0AuQrfEC</a>
&mdash; NASA Moon (@NASAMoon) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAMoon/status/1585638035710148608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The occurrence of a blood-red moon has been recorded from biblical times. The prophet Joel referred to the phenomenon in the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible, The New Testament book of Acts also quoted Joel&#8217;s prediction of the moon turning to blood.
In recent years, some religious writers have referred to the blood moon as a sign of the end times. Evangelist John Hagee published a book titled &#8220;Four Blood Moons,&#8221; referring to a grouping of red moons in 2014-2015.
The <a href="https://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/04/14/whats-up-with-the-blood-moons-prophecies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sequence</a> of four consecutive blood moons, also called a tetrad, has occurred several times before, in 1909-10, 1927-28, 1949-50, 1967-68, 1985-86, and 2003-04. The next lunar tetrads will occur in 2032-33 and 2043-44.

Blood moon

Blood Moon To Appear During Lunar Eclipse On Election Day

2022 Midterms

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