NASA is ready to launch four astronauts around the moon later today, if all goes according to plan. It’s the first manned lunar mission since the 1970s. Dubbed the Artemis II mission, NASA will use the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket to send a crewed spacecraft, called Orion, into orbit. From there, the crew will circle around the Moon over 10 days.

According to The Conversation, Artemis II is more like Apollo 13. They’re going up, looping around the Moon and using its gravity to whip around and then come back. In some ways, it’s a less risky trajectory than Apollo 8 because you don’t have to fire the engines as much.

When the astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen—stride onto the tarmac at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, they will be wearing distinctive orange suits. When they emerge from the capsule after traveling around the moon and journeying farther into space than humans have ever gone before, they’ll still be in them. The space suits, which function as mini life-support systems (astronauts can live in them for 144 hours, if necessary), were custom-made to each astronaut’s physique by NASA engineers. They also feature reflective, sky-blue accent stripes that form a heroic V at the torso and circle the thighs and the upper arms, where they emphasize the armadillo-like articulation of the shoulders.

As for the capsule, the crew will live in the 330-cubic-foot Orion, sharing a single and no doubt slightly cramped “open-concept floor plan” that includes a suitcase-size kitchenette, a free-floating gym, a stowage compartment that doubles as a radiation shelter, and six windows. Oh, a a do-it-yourself toilet awaiting installation on Day 1.

If you’re excited about the long-awaited (and long-delayed) human return to the moon, then you might want to watch the launch. Broadcast coverage begins with live views and audio commentary of tanking operations beginning at 7:45 a.m. today, on NASA’s YouTube channel, as teams load propellant into the SLS rocket. Full coverage on NASA+ begins at 12:50 p.m. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media. 

It’s a little late, with everything already tore up, but a federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump from moving ahead with any further work on that massive ballroom on the former site of the White House East Wing. “The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!”, Judge Richard Leon wrote. However, he is allowing construction to continue for “the safety and security of the White House”—a clear reference to the not-so-secret bunker being constructed under the building.

Of course, lawyers for the Trump administration filed an appeal soon after the ruling. The controversial addition has been heavily criticized and the National Trust for Historic Preservation requested a preliminary injunction, arguing that the White House needs congressional approval for the extensive renovations. Trump lashed out at the National Trust after Leon sided with the nonprofit in the lawsuit, calling it “a Radical Left Group of Lunatics.”

Despite the public pushback, the oversized ballroom recently got approval from the Commission of Fine Arts, an architectural review panel now packed with Trump allies. The commission voted to give it a final signoff despite not seeing the final design. It had received more than 2,000 public comments, which according to staff were 99% negative. The National Capital Planning Commission is set to vote on the ballroom project during a meeting on Thursday.

President Donald Trump will address the nation tonight to deliver an “important update” on the war in Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on social media. Trump told NBC News on Tuesday that “we’re doing great” and that the conflict is “coming to an end.” He later told reporters that he expects the U.S. to "leave" Iran within two or three weeks, adding that Iran does not have to make a deal with the U.S. for the war to end.

Interestingly, Trump told aides he’s willing to end the U.S. military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed. In recent days, Trump and his aides assessed that a mission to pry open the chokepoint would push the conflict beyond his timeline of four to six weeks. He decided that the U.S. should achieve its main goals of hobbling Iran’s navy and its missile stocks and wind down current hostilities while pressuring Tehran diplomatically to resume the free flow of trade. If that fails, Washington would press allies in Europe and the Gulf to take the lead on reopening the strait.

According to the Washington Post, Trump has grown exasperated with European reluctance and has suggested it means Washington should not feel obligated to help defend Europe, although NATO’s collective defense clause applies specifically to attacks on allies in North America and Europe. As the conflict drags down stock markets and drives up energy prices, the criticism is getting more pronounced.

Imagine a vacation that’s not only transformative for you but helps open doors for the local women you meet along the way. That’s what Intrepid’s new Women’s Expeditions in Peru, Cambodia and Bhutan are all about.

Designed specifically for women travellers, these trips offer immersive local experiences that support women-run and owned businesses in each destination. With an expert local leader out front, you could trek the lesser-known Chinchero to Urquillos route in the Peruvian Andes alongside an all-female crew, dive into Cambodia’s street food scene on a women-run tuk tuk tour, or unwind with a traditional herbal hot stone bath at a women-owned farmhouse in Bhutan.

First launched in 2018, Intrepid’s Women’s Expedition range is designed to break down barriers, foster discussion and create meaningful connections for travellers and locals alike.

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