HOUSTON (AP) — In a breathtaking moment of cosmic exploration, the Artemis II astronauts found themselves gazing at the moon’s surface as they embarked on a historic lunar flyby this Monday. This remarkable event offered them an unprecedented glimpse of the moon’s far side, while simultaneously setting a groundbreaking distance record for humanity.

The six-hour lunar flyby marked a pivotal highlight of NASA’s inaugural mission back to the moon, featuring a crew composed of three Americans and one Canadian. This mission serves as a critical precursor to the ambitious goal of landing astronauts near the moon’s south pole within the next two years.

Artemis II achieved a significant milestone during its journey.

Just under an hour before commencing their lunar orbit and extensive moon analysis, the quartet of astronauts broke the previous distance record of 248,655 miles (400,171 kilometers), a benchmark established by Apollo 13 in April 1970.

Continuing their journey further into the depths of space, Artemis II ultimately shattered the standing record by an additional 4,101 miles (6,600 kilometers).

“It is blowing my mind what you can see with the naked eye from the moon right now. It is just unbelievable,” Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen radioed ahead of the flyby. He challenged “this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long-lived.”

Moments after breaking Apollo 13’s record, the astronauts asked permission to name two fresh lunar craters already observed. They proposed Integrity, their capsule’s name, and Carroll in honor of commander Reid Wiseman’s wife who died of cancer in 2020. Wiseman wept as Hansen put in the request to Mission Control, and all four astronauts embraced in tears.

“Such a majestic view out here,” Wiseman radioed once he regained his composure and started picture-taking. The astronauts called down that they managed to capture the moon and Earth in the same shot, and provided a running commentary to scientists back in Houston on what they were seeing.

Some peaks were so bright, pilot Victor Glover noted, that they looked as though they were covered in snow. Besides photographing the scenes with high-powered Nikon cameras, the astronauts also pulled out their iPhones for some impromptu shots.

Wiseman, Glover, Hansen and Christina Koch started the momentous day with the voice of Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, who recorded a wake-up message just two months before his death last August. “Welcome to my old neighborhood,” said Lovell, who also flew on Apollo 8, humanity’s first lunar visit. “It’s a historic day and I know how busy you’ll be, but don’t forget to enjoy the view.”

They took up with them the Apollo 8 silk patch that accompanied Lovell to the moon, and showed it off as the crucial flyby approached. “It’s just a real honor to have that on board with us,” said Wiseman. “Let’s go have a great day.”

Artemis II is using the same maneuver that Apollo 13 did after its “Houston, we’ve had a problem” oxygen tank explosion wiped out any hope of a moon landing.

Known as a free-return lunar trajectory, this no-stopping-to-land route takes advantage of Earth and the moon’s gravity, reducing the need for fuel. It’s a celestial figure-eight that put the astronauts on course for home, once they emerged from behind the moon Monday evening.

The Artemis II crew ducked behind the moon more than halfway through the lunar flyby. During the 40-minute communication blackout, they made their closest approach to the moon — 4,067 miles (6,545 kilometers) — and reached their maximum distance of 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers) from Earth. At that point, they were homeward bound, taking four days to get back with a Pacific splashdown concluding their test flight on Friday.

Their estimated speed at closest approach to the moon: 3,139 mph (5,052 kph).

Wiseman and his crew spent years studying lunar geography to prepare for the big event, adding solar eclipses to their repertoire during the past few weeks. By launching last Wednesday, they ensured themselves of a total solar eclipse from their vantage point behind the moon, courtesy of the cosmos.

Topping their science target list: Orientale Basin, a sprawling impact basin with three concentric rings, the outermost of which stretches nearly 600 miles (950 kilometers) across.

Other sightseeing goals: the Apollo 12 and 14 landing sites from 1969 and 1971, respectively, as well as fringes of the south polar region, the preferred locale for future touchdowns. Farther afield, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn — not to mention Earth — will be visible.

Their moon mentor, NASA geologist Kelsey Young, expects thousands of pictures.

“People all over the world connect with the moon. This is something that every single person on this planet can understand and connect with,” she said on the eve of the flyby, wearing eclipse earrings.

Artemis II is NASA’s first astronaut moonshot since Apollo 17 in 1972. It sets the stage for next year’s Artemis III, which will see another Orion crew practice docking with lunar landers in orbit around Earth. The culminating moon landing by two astronauts near the moon’s south pole will follow on Artemis IV in 2028.

While Artemis II may be taking Apollo 13’s path, it’s most reminiscent of Apollo 8 and humanity’s first lunar visitors who orbited the moon on Christmas Eve 1968 and read from the Book of Genesis.

Glover said flying to the moon during Christianity’s Holy Week brought home for him “the beauty of creation.” Earth is an oasis amid “a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe” where humanity exists as one, he observed over the weekend.

“This is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing and that we’ve got to get through this together,” Glover said, clasping hands with his crewmates.

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A woman from Washington state has been handed a prison sentence of nearly 30 years for the murder of her father, a crime that prosecutors claim involved extensive planning over several weeks.

On April 2, Alyssa Bradburn, aged 33, received a 340-month sentence in Spokane County Superior Court. This follows her conviction for first-degree murder, which included a firearm enhancement, for the 2024 killing of her father, Timothy Bradburn.

This sentence, equivalent to approximately 28 years, was delivered about a month after the jury reached their guilty verdict.

Throughout the trial, prosecutors noted that Bradburn displayed minimal emotion, maintaining a stoic demeanor and occasionally smiling. During her testimony, she expressed enjoyment of the trial proceedings but acknowledged that she deserved to be punished, stating her willingness to accept the sentence.

Alyssa Bradburn is seen being escorted in court as the proceedings for her sentencing in the fatal shooting of her father unfold in Spokane. (Fox 28 Spokane)

“I killed Tim Bradburn, and I am guilty,” she said during trial, smiling, according to The Spokesman-Review. “I’m not afraid anymore. I’m OK with going to prison for however long.”

According to court documents and testimony cited by prosecutors, Bradburn called 911 on June 25, 2024, and reported that she had shot her father as he returned home from a trip to Hawaii.

She told dispatchers his body was in the entryway of their Northwest Spokane home and that she would be waiting outside for police.

The Spokane home where Timothy Bradburn was fatally shot by his daughter Alyssa after returning from a trip to Hawaii. (Fox 28 Spokane)

Investigators say Timothy Bradburn was ambushed as he walked through the front door, still holding his suitcase and keys.

Bradburn told detectives she believed she shot him three times — twice in the chest and once in the head to make sure he was dead. An autopsy later determined he had been shot four times.

Prosecutors said the killing was deliberate.

Bradburn admitted she began planning to kill her father weeks in advance, practicing with the firearm inside the home and getting help loading it at a gun range. She also journaled about the plan in the days leading up to the shooting.

“The evidence… demonstrated an extreme and elaborate degree of planning,” Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Emily Sullivan said.

Bradburn initially claimed she acted in self-defense, alleging her father had abused her and her dogs, but later withdrew those accusations, FOX 28 Spokane reported.

During sentencing, her brother, Trace Bradburn, described the devastating impact of the loss.

Trace Bradburn delivers a victim impact statement in Spokane County Superior Court during sentencing for his father’s killing. (Fox 28 Spokane)

“My father was everything to me,” he said.

He also pushed back on the earlier allegations, saying they had unfairly damaged his father’s memory.

“The false accusations made against him have deeply tarnished his memory,” he said, according to FOX 28. “My dad was an amazing man, and he never did anything to hurt anyone.”

“I just have to live my life with that… and it just guts me every day,” he added.

Prosecutors had asked for a higher sentence, 320 months plus a 60-month firearm enhancement, arguing the killing of her own father, combined with the level of planning, made the case especially disturbing.

Bradburn’s defense attorney argued for a lower sentence, citing her lack of criminal history and mental health issues, saying she sometimes struggles to distinguish between fantasy and reality, the outlet reported.

Judge Julie McKay ultimately imposed a mid-range sentence of 280 months, plus the 60-month firearm enhancement, for a total of 340 months.

“Unfortunately, the crime Ms. Bradburn decided to start her criminal history with is the most significant and serious that we have,” McKay said during sentencing, according to the outlet.

In addition to prison time, Bradburn will serve 36 months of community custody, must pay restitution related to her father’s death, and is permanently barred from contacting her brother.

The judge acknowledged the devastation to the family, noting that no sentence could undo the loss.

Bradburn’s legal team declined to comment on the sentencing or her change in appearance.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

A troubling incident unfolded at a school board meeting in Tennessee, where a video captured a school board member making inappropriate comments to a female student. The footage, which has sparked outrage, shows Keith Ervin, a member of the Washington County School Board, putting his arm around the young girl and referring to her as “hot.”

The unsettling exchange occurred on April 2, during a meeting where the student was in attendance to present her research on the district’s schools. As she stood before the board, Ervin’s actions and remarks left other members visibly uncomfortable.

“God, you’re hot, you know that? Where do you go to school at?” Ervin inquired, his demeanor drawing immediate concern from those present.

The incident has prompted a review of Ervin’s conduct, as his behavior has been deemed inappropriate and unprofessional. The community and school officials are now grappling with the implications of such actions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a respectful and safe environment for students.

The student attended the meeting to present her research on the district’s schools to the board. 

Ervin made the comment after she finished her speech, leaving the room filled with discomfort. 

The district’s superintendent, Jerry Boyd, noted that Ervin’s behavior made attendees uncomfortable.

‘In all honesty, it certainly was an uncomfortable situation. You know, there’s a lot of nervousness in the room,’ Boyd told WCYB.

Disturbing video captured the moment Washington County School Board member Keith Ervin put his arm around a female student during a school board meeting and called her ‘hot’

The student was at the meeting to present research to the board, Ervin made the comment after she finished her speech

Boyd explained that, although attendees raised an eyebrow, the meeting went on as the young girl was not in ‘immediate danger.’ 

Boyd also said the board will review the disturbing interaction and intervene if necessary. 

‘Our board expects a high level of professionalism, and certainly it’s being discussed and questionable whether or not the comment met that standard,’ Boyd told the outlet.

‘And I believe the general belief is no.’

Ervin defended himself, telling News Channel 11 that the video was ‘taken out of context’ and that he was complimenting the girl for asking thoughtful questions. 

Annette Buchanan, Chair of the Washington County Board of Education, released a statement on Monday about the ordeal.

‘On Thursday, April 2, 2026, one of our colleagues, Keith Ervin, made a grossly inappropriate comment toward our student board member.

‘Mr Ervin has explained that he meant nothing offensive and that we have simply misunderstood his intentions.

‘Mr Ervin knows his own intentions, but the rest of us have to judge his words and his actions.’

She added that the video was ‘shocking,’ saying that he ‘objectified and diminished a young woman publicly,’ and no explanation can justify his actions.

The board will review the disturbing interaction and intervene if necessary

Annette Buchanan, Chair of the Washington County Board of Education, called the video ‘shocking’

An emergency meeting was scheduled for April 8 to address the matter, with expectations that the board will consider and approve a motion to censure Ervin for his comments. 

Parents in the district were outraged over Ervin’s vile comments, calling for his removal. 

‘As a member of the school board, he is responsible for our children’s health and welfare and safety and education,’ Hillary Haley, a parent in the district, told WCYB.

‘The display he put on tells me that he should be nowhere around our children,’ she added.

The video went viral on social media, with many alumni and parents of district students expressing their outrage over the incident. 

‘I find this utterly unacceptable and disgusting. No adult should speak to a child this way,’ one comment read.

‘Remove these members!!! These are not individuals who are safe for our children!’ another user wrote.

‘No, you can’t spin that one. That was inappropriate. Should resign, and stop talking before the hole gets deeper, you are not helping yourself,’ another user posted.

Daily Mail reached out to Ervin for comment.