Elon Musk&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/spacex" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpaceX</a> successfully caught its Super Heavy Booster for a second time after the launch of its Starship megarocket — the largest rocket in the world — on Thursday.
The launch for Starship&#8217;s 7th test flight at its Starbase in south Texas took place in clear conditions. Just seven-and-a-half minutes after launching Starship into orbit, the Heavy Booster, which is 232 feet tall, returned to the launch pad and was caught by two massive metal arms that Musk calls &#8220;chopsticks.&#8221; The feat marks the second time SpaceX has caught its rocket with the chopsticks after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/looked-like-magic-spacex-successfully-launches-super-heavy-booster-returns-it-to-launch-tower" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making history</a> with the new engineering achievement in October.
&#8220;We caught the rocket!!&#8221; Musk posted on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We caught the rocket!! 🚀 
<a href="https://t.co/gVv34W9l2n">pic.twitter.com/gVv34W9l2n</a> <a href="https://t.co/o0vA3XXi8L">pic.twitter.com/o0vA3XXi8L</a>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1880025214463144071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="SpaceX Catches Super Heavy Starship 7 Rocket Booster" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NMgPE7frhMw?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>
Catching the rocket is important for the space company as it hopes to eventually catch the Starship spacecraft itself, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/science/live-news/starship-test-flight-7-launch-spacex/index.html?t=1737068722896" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported,</a> a development that could save SpaceX money and time as it pushes forward to achieve Musk&#8217;s goal of colonizing Mars.
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Shortly after Starship launched into orbit, SpaceX lost communication with the spacecraft, and it was lost.
&#8220;We can confirm that we did lose the ship,” said SpaceX engineer Kate Tice, according to CNN.
Starship, which was on a test flight, was supposed to go around Earth and splash into the Indian Ocean.
“We obviously need to go through all the data. It’s going to take some time. In the next hours, days — we’re going to figure out exactly what happened, come back, fly the next one, get farther,&#8221; Communications Manager Dan Huot said. “Reminder, it’s a test of an experimental vehicle.”
The launch was initially scheduled for Monday, but was moved back to Wednesday and then moved again to Thursday over inclement weather.

SpaceX

WATCH: SpaceX Successfully Catches Second Super Heavy Booster

Elon Musk

NASA

Outer Space

U.S.

President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> announced on Wednesday that he has nominated Jared Isaacman, a close ally of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, to be the next Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The 41-year-old billionaire is an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, Trump said in a statement.
&#8220;Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era.&#8221;
Isaacman founded Shift4, a payment processing company that he leads as CEO, 25 years ago.
&#8220;Jared has demonstrated exceptional leadership, building a trailblazing global financial technology company,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;He also co-founded and served as CEO of Draken International, a defense aerospace company, for over a decade, supporting the U.S. Department of Defense, and our Allies.&#8221;
Isaacman may shift NASA&#8217;s current mission set of going back to the moon to the bold vision laid out by Musk: going to Mars.
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The New York Times reported that Isaacman entered the space industry in early 2021 when he announced that he was financing a private mission to space in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
&#8220;The mission was the first in which no one aboard was a professional astronaut,&#8221; The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/04/science/jared-isaacman-trump-nasa.html">reported</a>. &#8220;Isaacman followed up this year with another trip to orbit called Polaris Dawn. This mission — a collaboration with SpaceX — aimed to test out new technologies that would be needed to implement Musk’s dream of eventually sending people to Mars.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
If civilization is reasonably stable for the next ~30 years, a self-sustaining city of a million+ people will be built on Mars
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1845451323640250512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
Isaacman said in a statement that he was honored to be nominated for the role, calling space exploration &#8220;the most incredible adventure in human history.&#8221;
&#8220;On my last mission to space, my crew and I traveled farther from Earth than anyone in over half a century,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I can confidently say this second space age has only just begun. Space holds unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy. There will inevitably be a thriving space economy—one that will create opportunities for countless people to live and work in space.&#8221;
&#8220;At NASA, we will passionately pursue these possibilities and usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;I was born after the Moon landings; my children were born after the final space shuttle launch. With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place. We will inspire children, yours and mine, to look up and dream of what is possible. Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I am honored to receive President Trump’s <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> nomination to serve as the next Administrator of NASA. Having been fortunate to see our amazing planet from space, I am passionate about America leading the most incredible adventure in human history.
On my last mission…
— Jared Isaacman (@rookisaacman) <a href="https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1864346915183157636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2024</a></blockquote>

US-SPACE-SPACEX-AEROSPACE

Trump Nominates Ally Of Elon Musk To Lead NASA

Donald Trump

Executive

Politics

Trump Administration

NASA spacecraft Europa Clipper, sitting aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, launched into orbit shortly after noon ET on Monday and is now on its way to investigate the potential for life on one of Jupiter’s largest moons. 
The Europa Clipper launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, becoming the largest spacecraft NASA has ever built for a planetary science mission, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/nasa-launch-europa-clipper-mission-icy-moon-jupiter-rcna171706">reported</a>. Its mission is not to find life but to determine if life could exist on Europa, the fourth largest of Jupiter’s 95 moons. Scientists believe that beneath Europa’s icy surface lies a vast saltwater ocean and “chemical elements that are key ingredients to life.” 
“We are looking for a habitable environment,” the mission’s deputy project scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Bonnie Buratti, said. “We’re trying to look for the necessities for life, which are liquid water — and we’re pretty sure that’s there — the right chemistry and energy, whether from active geology or something else, that acts almost like a battery to push life along.”
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Leaving our water world, to explore another 🚀<a href="https://twitter.com/EuropaClipper?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuropaClipper</a> launched from <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAKennedy</a> at 12:06pm ET (16:06 UTC) on a <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> Falcon Heavy, beginning a 1.8-billion-mile journey to explore the mysteries of Europa, Jupiter’s ocean moon. <a href="https://t.co/IQ7uRSviMb">pic.twitter.com/IQ7uRSviMb</a>
&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1845859399178264640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Europa Clipper’s launch was initially scheduled for Thursday, October 10, but was delayed due to Hurricane Milton which made landfall in Florida late on Wednesday, October 9. The spacecraft will travel 1.8 billion miles over five-and-a-half years before entering Europa’s orbit in 2030. The mission, which began as a concept in 2013, cost $5.2 billion, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/14/science/europa-clipper-nasa-launch/index.html">CNN</a>. 
“It feels surreal,” said Jordan Evans, the mission’s project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, according to NBC News. “There have been battles at every level, from early on with the initial concept for the mission, through getting approved, through each milestone and overcoming various problems along the way. To be at this point, watching the team get ready, is incredible.”
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NASA said that the launch was successful and the Europa Clipper was traveling through space on its own after separating from the rocket. 
“@EuropaClipper is now sailing through space on its own, bound for the Jupiter system. This ‘message in a bottle’ carries the names and hopes of millions, as we voyage together to search for a habitable world beyond Earth,” NASA posted on X. 
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Separation confirmed! <a href="https://twitter.com/EuropaClipper?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuropaClipper</a> is now sailing through space on its own, bound for the Jupiter system. This &quot;message in a bottle&quot; carries the names and hopes of millions, as we voyage together to search for a habitable world beyond Earth. <a href="https://t.co/iL3e7O916g">pic.twitter.com/iL3e7O916g</a>
&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1845876722178175356?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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In 1972, scientists made <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/jupiter/moons/europa/europa-facts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spectroscopic observations</a> through a telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Arizona, that Europa&#8217;s surface appeared to be mostly made up of water ice. Following more information and pictures being relayed to Earth by NASA&#8217;s Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, scientists believe that &#8220;Europa may be one of the most promising places in our solar system to find present-day environments suitable for some form of life beyond Earth.&#8221;
Instead of landing on Europa’s surface, the NASA spacecraft will conduct 49 flybys of the moon. The flybys are planned to ensure that the Europa Clipper won’t have to endure Jupiter’s radiation for more than a day at a time, CNN reported. Each of the flybys will take place every two to three weeks.
“If we were to just go into orbit around Europa and study it, the radiation would likely kill off even the most radiation-hardened electronics within one to two months,” Evans said.
“So, every six times that Europa goes around Jupiter, or every 21 days, we’ll be in the exact spot in the universe to be right next to Europa,” Evans added. “And every flyby will be different, so we can get near global coverage of the moon.”

Europa Clipper

NASA Launches Spacecraft To Investigate Potential For Life On Distant Moon

Space

Two astronauts have been stuck on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Space Station</a> (ISS) since early June after their Boeing Starliner — the company&#8217;s first manned spacecraft — sprang leaks and lost multiple thrusters while approaching the space station.
Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams were supposed to be in space for a total of eight days when they left Earth on June 5, but the Boeing Starliner&#8217;s mechanical issues have prolonged their stay, and NASA is still unsure of when the Americans will come back home. NASA has even suggested that Wilmore and Williams might have to stay at the space station until February, turning their eight-day mission into an eight-month stay.
NASA has been considering greenlighting a return flight in the Boeing Starliner, and Boeing remains confident that its spacecraft could complete the trek back down to Earth, <a href="https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/nasa-delays-boeing-starliner-return-flight-again-amid-major-discussion-about-astronaut-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Live Science. Boeing said it would bring its ship back empty if NASA decides to leave the astronauts at the International Space Station instead of risking a return trip on the plagued Starliner.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a fairly major discussion to decide whether or not we&#8217;re going to have crew on board for Starliner&#8217;s return,&#8221; Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA&#8217;s Space Operations Mission Directorate, said at a news conference on Wednesday. &#8220;We&#8217;re expecting that the data analysis will be ready for a program board by the middle to end of next week, and will be ready for a flight readiness review around the end of next week.&#8221;
The Boeing Starliner had issues even before it launched with Wilmore and Williams on board on June 5 when it sprang a leak in the propulsion-related plumbing. Five of Starliner&#8217;s thrusters also failed as it approached the space station. After conducting tests from the ground and in space, all but one of the spacecraft&#8217;s 28 thrusters appear to be working, the Associated Press <a href="https://www.wesh.com/article/astronauts-stuck-nasa-boeing-iss/61857685" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The thrusters are vital to keep the capsule in the right position during its deorbit burn.
NASA is considering bringing Wilmore and Williams home on a SpaceX Dragon capsule, a spacecraft made by Elon Musk&#8217;s space exploration and rocket company. The Dragon capsule would usually go up to the space station with a four-man crew, but if seats are needed for Wilmore and Williams, it will carry two astronauts of Crew-9 to the ISS. Under that plan, Wilmore and Williams would have to remain at the ISS until February 2025 as that is when Crew-9 is scheduled to return on the SpaceX Dragon capsule.
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&#8220;I do want to keep this in perspective, if Butch and Suni do not come home on Starliner, they will have about 8 months in orbit,&#8221; Russ DeLoach, NASA&#8217;s chief of safety and mission assurance, said at the Wednesday news conference.
NASA assured that its astronauts are still healthy and safe aboard the ISS and have enough food and water to stay there for the long haul. Astronauts have stayed at the ISS for months at a time. Recently, Frank Rubio and his Russian crewmembers were at the ISS for over a year after their spacecraft was damaged by space junk after it had docked, the Associated Press <a href="https://www.wesh.com/article/astronauts-stuck-nasa-boeing-iss/61857685" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Russia sent an empty capsule to bring them back home in September 2023.
The Boing Starliner fiasco adds another item to the list of recent issues plaguing the aerospace company. Earlier this year, a door plug flew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max shortly after it had taken off. More than seven months after the incident, Boeing still doesn&#8217;t know who was responsible for replacing the door plug before it flew off the Alaska Airlines plane, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/07/business/boeing-ntsb-hearing-alaska-airlines-door-plug/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. In a separate case, the aerospace company <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boeing-to-take-plea-deal-with-justice-dept-over-deadly-plane-crashes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pled guilty</a> last month to conspiracy to defraud the United States after it was charged over two crashes involving the company’s planes in which hundreds of people died.

Boeing Crew

Astronauts On Boeing’s First Manned Craft Have Been Stuck In Space For 2 Months. NASA Still Isn’t Sure When It Will Get Them Home.

Astronauts On Boeing's First Manned Craft Have Been Stuck In Space For 2 Months. NASA Still Isn't Sure When It Will Get Them Home.

Boeing

General

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apollo 8</a> astronaut and San Juan County resident William Anders, 90, was killed in a plane crash over Puget Sound in Washington on Friday afternoon, and the incident was caught on video.
Fox 13 reported that the plane — a viPntage Air Force T-34 Mentor, a small prop plane — belonged to Anders and that his friends said he was flying the plane when it crashed.
Video showed the plane smacking the water at a high rate of speed as he appeared to be trying to pull up. A large flame briefly erupted with a plume of black smoke.
&#8220;A Beechcraft T-34 Mentor crashed into the water near Roche Harbor, Washington, around 11:40 a.m. local time Friday, June 7. Only the pilot was on board,&#8221; the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.
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&#8220;The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate,&#8221; the statement added.
His son, Greg Anders, said in a statement: &#8220;The family is devastated. He was a great pilot. He will be missed.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 BREAKING: Plane flown by Apollo 8 crew member William Anders crashed near Seattle. His condition is unknown.
Video: Phillip Person <a href="https://t.co/NxP2O8aUAW">pic.twitter.com/NxP2O8aUAW</a>
— Quick News Alerts (@QuickNewsAlerts) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuickNewsAlerts/status/1799223804696105007?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Apollo 8 Astronaut William Anders killed in plane crash near Orcas Island, WA this morning.
Credit: Katie Person <a href="https://t.co/9ni2cgwROQ">pic.twitter.com/9ni2cgwROQ</a>
— avgeekjake (@avgeekjake) <a href="https://twitter.com/avgeekjake/status/1799232105110716432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
The United States Coast Guard Northwest said that the crash happened between Orcas Island and Jones Island.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/USCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCG</a> units along with San Juan County Sheriffs are responding to reports of a plane crash between Orcas and Jones Island. Air Station Port Angeles and Station Port Angeles are on-scene conducting search and rescue efforts. Updates to follow.
— USCGPacificNorthwest (@USCGPacificNW) <a href="https://twitter.com/USCGPacificNW/status/1799169443781873785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
The New York Times reported that Anders flew on the first manned space mission to orbit the moon in 1968 and took the iconic “Earthrise” photo, which the newspaper said sparked &#8220;the modern environmental movement.&#8221;
During Apollo 8&#8217;s orbit around the moon on Christmas Eve, the crew read from the book of Genesis in a live telecast that was viewed by millions of people around the world.
The report noted that Anders was the first person in that telecast to read from scripture.
&#8220;In the beginning God created the heaven and the Earth,&#8221; he said while reading Genesis. &#8220;And the Earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, who is missing after his plane crashed near Seattle, took this famous photo, &#8220;Earthrise&#8221;, in 1968 <a href="https://t.co/jelEIE4wyO">pic.twitter.com/jelEIE4wyO</a>
— BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1799226986671616327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote>

Video Catches Moment When Retired Apollo 8 Astronaut Is Killed In Plane Crash Over Washington

Plane Crash

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

Moon

Science

Sheila Jackson Lee

Monday was a pagan day in America.
A giant solar eclipse moved all the way across the United States over the course of the day.
There are a couple of different ways you can view a solar eclipse.
If you are a normal person, you&#8217;d view the solar eclipse as a wonderful example of science at work, an incredible example of the workings of the universe in which the sun is totally eclipsed by the moon — the workings of the rotations of the universe and the solar system. That&#8217;s really cool.
Before they knew any of the science, traditional religions suggested that things like solar eclipses — which rarely appeared and were also very scary to people — were the heavens moving in response to human sin. Human beings would sin, and then God would respond with a solar eclipse.
The other way to view it from a religious perspective would be to say that this is amazing and wonderful evidence of God&#8217;s handiwork in the universe — the intricate workings of the universe that God created. All of those are well within traditional monotheistic religion.
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1943-blotting-out-the-sun-member-exclusive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h4>
Then, there&#8217;s the pagan view.
The pagan view is that you sin against nature, and then the gods smack you.
That view has apparently been taken by a wide variety of people across the United States. The most obvious example of someone with this belief is Sunny Hostin, co-host on “The View,” who not only blamed the solar eclipse on climate change, but also blamed earthquakes on climate change.
Now, it may be that Hostin doesn&#8217;t know anything about science, or it may be that, in pagan circles, you are supposed to blame everything on man&#8217;s sin against nature. Man has sinned against Gaia, and now Gaia will take her revenge.
In the most spectacular scientific fail of the day, Hostin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/legitimately-insane-sunny-hostin-mocked-for-suggesting-climate-change-behind-solar-eclipse-earthquakes">said</a> yesterday: “We got a solar eclipse. We’ve got earthquakes. … The Rapture is here. Also, I learned that the cicadas are coming. For the first time in a hundred years. This is for the first time in many, many years. … All of those things together, would maybe lead one to believe that either climate change exists, or something is really going on.”
There is something going on with what Hostin said, and that is the view that if you live in this pagan world, where the world takes its revenge on you for sinning against the climate, then you must pay homage to the climate.
You don&#8217;t have to try and solve a problem. It&#8217;s not a real-world problem that the climate is changing over time and that perhaps you adapt as human beings or you try to mitigate particular activities.
Instead, it is a sin against the climate.
This move toward paganism is occurring across the spectrum. The same exact people who will say monotheistic religion is a bunch of hocus-pocus are claiming the woo-woo crystals they are wearing are changing their elemental relationship to the universe.
On Monday, NASA decided they were going to bring on an indigenous scientist named Dr. David Begay to talk about the solar eclipse. They asked him how the eclipse related to indigenous science and what the eclipse meant to the Navajo people.
Begay stated:
<blockquote>I think the knowledge on the eclipse, it goes way back from time immemorial, I&#8217;m told by my elders. They knew that when you look at the sun directly, you can damage your eyes. And so they knew the danger of looking at the eclipse with the naked eye. So people were encouraged to go inside to ensure that people weren&#8217;t looking up, especially the kids. So it goes way back.
And as far as eclipses, it&#8217;s a time of renewal. The sun alignment with the moon and also the earth alignment, the whole cosmic cycle goes through a regeneration process. It revitalizes the process. And so it&#8217;s a gift that goes on for many years, over and over. It’s a cycle.</blockquote>
The fact that NASA is promoting this is proof of a return to near pre-scientific paganism.
What he&#8217;s talking about is not science; it is, in fact, a religion of one sort or another. And NASA is promoting that now.
Would NASA feature a devotee of ancient Christian or Jewish theology to talk about how man’s sins against God caused the solar eclipse? I don&#8217;t think so.
Apparently, “diversity and inclusion” means that we have to act as though indigenous ancient science is the same as Western science. Ancient peoples could not even properly chart the dates of solar eclipses because they didn&#8217;t understand the science.
NASA is supposed to have the best scientists. These are the people who put us on the moon. These are the people who may help us get to Mars. And here they are doing this interview.
The reversion to pagan ideology is bizarre, but it does tie into a moral underpinning that says we are to make certain sacrifices to the pagan universe — and then we backfill the rationale for them.
This is why on the Left, once you get rid of monotheistic religions, they are filled in with some other form of religion. It could be with scientific theism — which at least has a track record of scientific progress — or with a pagan morality.
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Pagan morality is what many people tend to fill it with, which is why you see Whoopi Goldberg, another co-host on “The View,” justifying abortion by citing the Ten Commandments. When you get rid of Judeo-Christian religion, you end up with new sacraments.
And the new sacraments of the far-Left include things like justifying child sacrifice, in the sense that you are talking about the justification of the termination of pregnancy and calling it moral.
She is basically saying that if you are willing to execute child rapists and murderers, then you should also be willing to excuse the killing of the unborn.
Why? Because this is now a sacrament on the Left. That is why they&#8217;re now twisting the Bible.
This has become a sacrament on the pagan Left: Abortion is not just something terrible that sometimes people have to do. It is something that is an affirmative good.
That is perverse. And the Left’s sacraments include things like abortion, climate change, and trans ideology, which explains the bizarre spectacle of the legendary women&#8217;s basketball coach Dawn Staley suggesting trans women should be allowed to play in NCAA events.
Making abortion a sacrament and paying homage to the climate change gods so there won&#8217;t be an earthquake or a solar eclipse are all parts of the bizarre universe we now inhabit.
And it is incumbent on moral people to push back against that bizarre universe by demonstrating moral clarity.

Total Solar Eclipse Stretches Across North America From Mexico To Canada

Blotting Out The Sun

Ben Shapiro

Christianity

Judaism

Opinion

Readers Pass

Religion

The View

NASA researchers have discovered a “Super Earth” in our Milky Way galaxy that is within its host star’s habitable zone and may contain water on its surface, which could indicate the presence of life.
TOI-715 b, which the scientists discovered using the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), lies 137 light years from Earth, and is estimated to be one and a half times as wide as Earth. Although it rests much closer to its star than the Earth to the Sun and orbits it every 19 days (as opposed to the Earth’s 365-day orbit) the star is a red dwarf, far cooler than our Sun, thus permitting the planet the possibility of life.
“These planets make far closer orbits than those around stars like our Sun, but because red dwarfs are smaller and cooler, the planets can crowd closer and still be safely within the star’s habitable zone,” NASA <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/universe/exoplanets/discovery-alert-a-super-earth-in-the-habitable-zone/">stated</a>. “The tighter orbits also mean those that cross the faces of their stars – that is, when viewed by our space telescopes – cross far more often.”
“The same system also might harbor a second, Earth-sized planet,” NASA continued. “If the possible second, Earth-sized planet in the system also is confirmed, it would become the smallest habitable-zone planet discovered by TESS so far.”
NASA is hoping the James Webb Telescope might examine the planet to determine if it contains an atmosphere. “Much will depend on the planet’s other properties, including how massive it is and whether it can be classed as a ‘water world&#8217; – making its atmosphere, if present, more prominent and far less difficult to detect than that of a more massive, denser and drier world, likely to hold its lower-profile atmosphere closer to the surface,” NASA states.
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The paper announcing the discovery, “A 1.55 R⊕ habitable-zone planet hosted by TOI-715, an M4 star near the ecliptic South Pole,” was published in the journal, “Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.” The Gemini-South, Las Cumbres Observatory telescopes, the ExTrA telescopes, the SPECULOOS network, and the TRAPPIST-south telescope aided the confirmation of the discovery.

Planet Earth in Space

Possibly Habitable ‘Super Earth’ Discovered In Our Own Milky Way Galaxy

Earth

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

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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
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

Thomas K. Mattingly, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASA</a> astronaut who helped guide Apollo 13 back to Earth after the spacecraft was damaged in space, died on October 31 at the age of 87. 
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-administrator-remembers-apollo-astronaut-thomas-k-mattingly-ii/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> Mattingly’s death on Thursday, describing Mattingly as a hero and praising the astronaut&#8217;s long aeronautic career, which saw him play a pivotal role in several Apollo missions. 
“We lost one of our country’s heroes on Oct. 31. NASA astronaut TK Mattingly was key to the success of our Apollo Program, and his shining personality will ensure he is remembered throughout history,” Nelson said. 
In 1966, NASA chose Mattingly to be part of that year’s astronaut class after which he started working as part of the astronaut support crew and in the development of the Apollo spacesuit and backpack.
“His unparalleled skill as a pilot aided us when he took on the role of command module pilot for Apollo 16 and spacecraft commander for space shuttle missions STS-4 and STS 51-C. The commitment to innovation and resilience toward opposition made TK an excellent figure to embody our mission and our nation’s admiration,” Nelson said. 
Mattingly is best known for his role in 1970 in helping get the crew of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/missions/apollo/apollo-13-mission-details/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apollo 13</a> back to Earth after a service module oxygen tank on the ship ruptured causing the astronauts to lose access to electricity, water, and light 200,000 miles away from Earth. Mattingly had been set to travel on Apollo 13, but ended up being exposed to rubella so he was unable to go on the mission. He ended up playing a vital role from the ground.
“Perhaps his most dramatic role at NASA was after exposure to rubella just before the launch of Apollo 13. He stayed behind and provided key real-time decisions to successfully bring home the wounded spacecraft and the crew of Apollo 13 – NASA astronauts James Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise,” Nelson said. 
In 1972, Mattingly <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/thomas-k-mattingly-astronaut-space-pioneer-guided-apollo-13-safety-die-rcna123496" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would go on</a> to be the command module pilot for the Apollo 16 mission where astronauts explored the moon’s Descartes Highlands. 
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Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who landed on the moon alongside Neil Armstrong in July 1969, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealBuzz/status/1720513070567432554" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> Mattingly in a statement on X, calling him a friend.
“He was a great test pilot, a Navy veteran, a class act, and a heck of a good man. I’ll always remember him for his natural ability to handle an immense degree of responsibility under pressure without getting rattled – a true professional of the rarest kind. He will be truly missed. Rest in Peace, Ken,” Aldrin said.

Apollo 16 Astronauts

Astronaut Who Helped Guide Apollo 13 Back To Earth Dies At 87

Air and Space

American History

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASA</a> appointed a new director of UAP research, a position meant to oversee studies into <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ufo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFOs</a>. Although NASA refused to identify the person upon making the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-shares-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-independent-study-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a> on Thursday, hours later — after being confronted about a lack of transparency — the agency changed course and released a name.
Bill Nelson, the administrator of NASA, shared the plans for a new top UFO investigator upon the release of an independent study team&#8217;s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/science-pink/s3fs-public/atoms/files/UAP%20Independent%20Study%20Team%20-%20Final%20Report_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) based on unclassified data that offered no evidence of extraterrestrial life but did call for more investigation into objects they could not explain and beyond.
“NASA’s new Director of UAP Research will develop and oversee the implementation of NASA’s scientific vision for UAP research, including using NASA’s expertise to work with other agencies to analyze UAP and applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to search the skies for anomalies,&#8221; Nelson said. &#8220;NASA will do this work transparently for the benefit of humanity.&#8221;
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Here&#39;s the complete NASA press conference on the &quot;Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study Report.&quot;
A few of my text alerts bled onto the audio towards the end. Sorry about that. They were from Kirkpatrick. 😀<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ufos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ufos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ufoX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ufoX</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/uapX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#uapX</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ufotwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ufotwitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/aliens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#aliens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/uap?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#uap</a> <a href="https://t.co/3UDMhos7AA">pic.twitter.com/3UDMhos7AA</a>
&mdash; Joe Murgia (@TheUfoJoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheUfoJoe/status/1702403029566374191?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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NASA later released an updated press release that <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/update-nasa-shares-uap-independent-study-report-names-director">said</a> Mark McInerney had been appointed director of UAP research.
&#8220;McInerney previously served as NASA’s liaison to the Department of Defense covering limited UAP activities for the agency. In the director role, he will centralize communications, resources, and data analytical capabilities to establish a robust database for the evaluation of future UAP,&#8221; the news release said. &#8220;He also will leverage NASA’s expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and space-based observation tools to support and enhance the broader government initiative on UAP. Since 1996, he has served various positions at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the National Hurricane Center.&#8221;
Earlier in the day, despite a stated commitment for transparency, NASA officials initially resisted disclosure of whom the agency had chosen to lead its UFO endeavor when pressed during a news conference to discuss the independent study&#8217;s findings and NASA&#8217;s plans for disclosure by filmmaker <a href="https://twitter.com/Unexplained2020/status/1702355706249125964" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Fox</a> and reporters. The decision to keep the name under wraps stood in contrast to how the Department of Defense handled the announcement of its UAP office last year, <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3100053/dod-announces-the-establishment-of-the-all-domain-anomaly-resolution-office/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">naming</a> Sean Kirkpatrick as the director of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).
NASA Associate Administrator Nicola Fox <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQcqOW39ksk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conceded</a> that her agency had already appointed someone to the role some time ago, but declined to name the individual, saying, &#8220;We will not give his name out now.&#8221; Dan Evans, NASA’s assistant deputy associate administrator for research, said harassment and even threats directed at members of the research group were &#8220;beyond the pale&#8221; and factored into the agency&#8217;s decision not to announce the new director&#8217;s name.
NewsNation&#8217;s Joe Khalil asked the panel whether their decision to withhold the identity of the lead UAP investigator would be permanent and noted that &#8220;it seems to cut against the dedication to being open and transparent&#8221; to keep the name secret.
&#8220;At the time, yes, we are withholding that name. Let&#8217;s not forget that we&#8217;ve only just received this report,&#8221; Evan replied. &#8220;And what we need to do now as an agency is come together and provide a cohesive and coherent response to it that addresses multiple findings and recommendations, okay? We&#8217;re only announcing initial actions today. Will that person&#8217;s name be disclosed, as to your specific question? Potentially, yes. But again, we need to ensure that the scientific process and method is free. Okay? That&#8217;s my response.&#8221;

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson

NASA Reveals UAP Director After Transparency Standoff

Bill Nelson

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