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The crew of NASA's Artemis II will make its closest approach to the moon Monday afternoon after launching from Kennedy Space Center last week.It marks a critical milestone of the agency's Orion space capsule, sending humans on a mission to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.
As the capsule loops around the moon, the astronauts will reach farther into space than humans have ever ventured.NASA's Artemis IIThe Orion spacecraft is now in the lunar sphere of influence, meaning the moon's gravity has more pull on the vehicle than the Earth. At 1:46 p.m. ET, the crew will surpass the record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth by humans, which was set by the Apollo 13 mission at 248,655 statute miles from Earth. At 2:45 p.m., the crew will begin making observations of the surface of the moon during the flyby.be blocked for about 40 minutes. At 7:02 p.m., the crew is expected to have reached the mission's maximum distance from Earth at 252,760 statute miles. The flyby is scheduled to conclude at 9:20 p.m., and then the crew will be on its way home, with a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, Calif., on Friday at 8:07 p.m.Lunar science observations During the lunar flyby, the closest Orion will come to the surface of the moon is 4,070 miles. From that distance, the crew will have a unique vantage point of the moon as a full disc — and the ability to take observations never before seen by human eyes. NASA scientists have identified about 35 geological features for the crew to observe. Working in pairs, they will take photos of the sites and describe them in real time to scientists at Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. "They're going to be absolutely buzzing," said Artemis II lunar science lead Kelsey Young on Sunday. The team will monitor the observations and provide guidance to the crew. "The science team will get to work right away, kind of synthesizing those , and then we'll actually downlink the rest of the descriptions overnight, in advance of a crew conference we'll have the following morning to continue the science discussion." Artemis II has 10 science objectives for the flyby. One is to observe color variations on the lunar surface. Changes in color can indicate the composition of the minerals on the surface. These changes are hard to detect with satellite images. "This is something that human eyes are just incredibly good at teasing out nuances about," said Young. Satellites like the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which launched in 2009, have given scientists a better understanding of the lunar surface. The Artemis II crew's observations will build on that knowledge. "We understand, you know, what it's made out of. We understand the topography, but we don't know what the crew are going to see in these specific illumination conditions from a scientific perspective," said Young."And that's exciting." NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth on Saturday, as the crew traveled toward the moon.The observations will help future landing missions. One target site is a potential future landing area for an uncrewed payload mission. The crew will also get a small glimpse of the lunar south pole — where humans might land as early as 2028.Artemis II is more than halfway through its slingshot mission around the moon and back. This is a test flight of the Orion space capsule, carrying a human crew for the first time.Tests include manual control of the Orion spacecraft. Mission pilot Victor Glover practiced the maneuverability of the capsule for future rendezvous with lunar landing vehicles. The crew tested the spacecraft's life support systems, like the carbon dioxide scrubbers, and donned their spacesuits midflight — which future astronauts might have to do in an emergency.. NASA's Universal Waste Management System is stowed in the floor of Orion and allows the crew to use the bathroom in private. So far, the hardware has had a few hiccups , but those seem to be resolved. "We're continuing to proceed with the mission and the use of the toilet nominally," said Artemis II flight director Rick Henfling, meaning the crew is allowed to use the onboard lavatory.UCLA players celebrate after defeating South Carolina in the women's National Championship Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament game on Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Phoenix.The UCLA women's basketball team won its first NCAA women's basketball national championship in school history on Sunday, routing perennial powerhouse South Carolina 79-51.The title is UCLA's first since winning the 1978 AIAW championship, which was the postseason tournament for women's basketball before the NCAA took over in 1982. The near-record lopsided victory completed the Bruins' journey through this year's March Madness. The Bruins ran through their opponents this season with their only loss coming in November, to Texas in a Thanksgiving tournament.UCLA was led by 6-foot-7 senior Lauren Betts and her fellow seniors and graduate students, like Gabriela Jaquez — who played all four years with the Bruins. Betts scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds. Jaquez scored 21 and also had 10 rebounds and five assists in front of her brother Jaime, who plays for the Miami Heat and flew in to attend the game to watch his alma mater win. He was part of the UCLA men's team that made a historic run to the Final Four in 2021. The group that UCLA coach Cori Close put together through a combination of high school commitments and transfer portal players capped off their stellar careers with a championship, scoring all the points in the title game.Coach Close has been at UCLA for 15 seasons, but her connections go deeper with the school as she was mentored by the legendary Bruins men's coach John Wooden, who won 10 national championships in Westwood. Their bond began when she was 22 years old and he was 83. She shares the same first name with one of his great-granddaughters. Close visited Wooden bi-weekly, adopting his"Pyramid of Success" and focus on character and its paid off with her team.Gabriela Jaquez, Lauren Betts and the rest of the UCLA seniors secured the first NCAA women's basketball national championship in school history — a goal that was set after losing in the first Final Four last season. Jaquez scored 21 points, Betts added 16 and UCLA routed South Carolina 79-51 Sunday in the title game. "I knew we were going to do it. Coming to UCLA we all set out for a goal, and I imagined this moment," Jaquez said."I imagined it so many times, and I am just so, so proud. ... Crying a lot, the confetti, all of the fans being here to support us, my family being here, it just means everything. Celebrating with this group, like ... I'm so happy." The near-record lopsided victory completed the Bruins' journey through this year's March Madness. The Bruins ran through their opponents this season with their only loss coming in November, to Texas in a Thanksgiving tournament. "It's immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine," UCLA coach Cori Close said."It's beyond my wildest dreams." UCLA was led by Betts and her fellow seniors and graduate students, like Jaquez — who played all four years with the Bruins. She also had 10 rebounds and five assists in front of her brother Jaime, who plays for the Miami Heat and flew in to attend the game to watch his alma mater win. The group that coach Close put together through a combination of high school commitments and transfer portal players capped off their stellar careers with a championship, scoring all the points in the title game. "Connectivity. Attention to detail. You know I looked them in the eyes before in the locker room, before the game, and I said, 'I'm so proud to be able to say this," Close said."Because all year we've been saying the talent is our floor, but our character will determine our ceiling.'" The title is UCLA's first since winning the 1978 AIAW championship, which was the postseason tournament for women's basketball before the NCAA took over in 1982. The championship game loss was the second straight for the Gamecocks, who won the title in 2024. Dawn Staley and her Gamecocks will be favored to return to the game's biggest stage with a talented group of expected returnees, led by Joyce Edwards and Agot Makeer. Like their 51-44 semifinal win over Texas, the Bruins were locked in defensively, anchored by Betts. She finished with 11 rebounds and exited the game with 3:45 left, giving Close a huge hug. The 6-foot-7 senior earned Most Outstanding Player honors of the Final Four. "UCLA is a quality team with very experienced players who got a taste of being in the Final Four last year, and you make adjustments," South Carolina's Staley said."From last year to this year — they played determined last year, but they played more determined this year because they were so close." Offensively, the Bruins had a much easier time than in the semifinal game that saw the team score only 20 points in the first half. The Bruins surpassed that total in the opening 10 minutes against South Carolina. Kiki's Rice 3-pointer just before the first-quarter buzzer made it 21-10 as the Bruins got off to a strong start and South Carolina struggled with 17% shooting, it's poorest quarter of the season. The Bruins extended the lead to 15 points in the second quarter by clogging up the paint on defense and working the ball inside on offense for a 36-23 lead at the half. UCLA put the game away in the third quarter, opening the period with a 12-3 run. Jaquez had five points during the spurt. South Carolina never threatened again as the Bruins outscored them 25-9 in the period. "We just didn't have it today. We tried, but we just didn't have it today," Staley said."They were the better team." South Carolina avoided the most lopsided loss in championship history of 33 points, set in 2013 when UConn defeated Louisville. The Gamecocks also surpassed the title game record low of 44 points by Louisiana Tech in 1987 against Tennessee. The Gamecocks were trying to cement their name as the premiere program in the sport with a fourth championship and third in the past five seasons. It just wasn't meant to be Sunday as they had their worst shooting game of the season against a talented UCLA team. "This is not the ending we wanted, but we got here. No one thought we would, and we did it," said Tessa Johnson, who led South Carolina with 14 points."The score speaks for itself." said Gamecocks senior Raven Johnson, who played in five Final Fours in her career. Close has been at UCLA for 15 seasons, but her connections go deeper with the school as she was mentored by the legendary Bruins men's coach John Wooden, who won 10 national championships at the school. Their bond began when she was 22 years old and he was 83. She shares the same first name with one of his great-granddaughters. Close visited Wooden bi-weekly, adopting his"Pyramid of Success" and focus on character and its paid off with her team. "Coach Wooden always said, 'You got to do it the way you're wired to do it, not the way anyone else did.' And I just tried imperfectly to stay true to that," Close said.See your favorite TV stars at Paleyfest, play dominoes with artist Alison Saar, rock with Springsteen at the Forum and more of the best things to do this week.and more, all taking over the Dolby. KT Tunstall has collaborated with everyone from Daryl Hall to Rick Astley and always puts on a fantastic show. See the Scottish songstress live at one of the most intimate venues in town, The Venice West.L.A. historian Etan Rosenbloom will speak at Pasadena Heritage about his favorite L.A. literary landmarks, including various authors’ favorite watering holes and other historic sites linked to L.A.’s past.I know it must be spring break when I see all the elementary-aged kids with their surf gear, heading out to surf camp in Santa Monica on my daily walk. I grew up on the East Coast, and even after more than 20 years here, I just can’t imagine what it’s like to go to surf camp in your backyard. Lucky kids! But now they’re back to school — and those of us who won’t be playing hooky to beat traffic to the pair of sure-to-be-epic Bruce Springsteen concerts at the Forum on Tuesday and Thursday are back to work. Not into the Boss? We’ve also got yourLicorice Pizza has more picks for the week, including R&B star Arin Ray at Blue Note and the SATCHVAI Band at Long Beach’s Terrace Theater on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Australian pop-rock sensation Ruel is at the Palladium, and country star Caroline Jones plays the Troubadour. Thursday, Australian rockers Sticky Fingers play the Palladium, darkwave trio French Police is at the Fonda, and Mexican pop star Humbe brings the romance to the Wiltern.If you didn’t luck into tickets from our giveaway, have no fear. There are still good seats available to check out conversations with the casts of your favorite shows, like and more at this year’s PaleyFest, all taking over the Dolby.Didn't plan a trip to Indianapolis for the National Championship game? Head to Cosm for an immersive fan experience watching Michigan and UConn battle it out for this year's title.Music fan and LAist underwriting specialist Roy Lenn recommends catching Marshall Crenshaw at Zebulon this week. Crenshaw’s catchy songs, like 1982’s “Someday, Someway,” have shades of power pop, rockabilly, and early rock and roll — you might remember his turn as Buddy Holly in the 1987 film. And '90s kids will recall that he also co-wrote “Til I Hear It From You” with Gin Blossoms for 1995’s seminalpress tour interviews, I can’t get “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall out of my head. Tunstall has collaborated with everyone from Daryl Hall to Rick Astley, and she always puts on a fantastic show. See the Scottish songstress live in one of the most intimate venues in town, The Venice West.One of the most recognizable names in '90s fashion, designer Anna Sui is in conversation at the ASU FIDM Museum in Los Angeles to discuss her career, what informs her work and her thoughts on the current '90s nostalgia boom to L.A.’s past.Meet Me at the Crossroads: Ruby’s Soul Service StationIf you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.has been reporting on the obstacles to rebuilding critical infrastructure after the L.A. fires, including underground power lines, water systems and now, sewers.A small black cap in the dirt of Morgan Whirledge's Altadena property marks the pipe connected to his former home's cesspool.The background: California no longer allows cesspools in new construction and has strict rules for septic systems. That’s because they can pollute groundwater with raw sewage. But renovating sewer systems is not cheap or simple. In response to cost concerns, L.A. County is allowing fire survivors to keep their existing systems, as long as they pass health and safety evaluations by the Department of Public Health. Those aren't cheap either.Morgan Whirledge, a musician and recently minted Altadena Town Council member, lived with his wife and two small children on a culdesac at the top of Lake Avenue, nestled at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. “We spent nearly every day out in our front yard,” Whirledge said. “Neighbors would walk by, walk their dogs. We knew everybody in the whole community.” Like most of Altadena, Whirledge’s neighborhood had its own special charm and piece of history. In the early 1900s, this neighborhood was a wellness retreat named after Hygeia, the Greek goddess of health. “It kind of goes right along with the wild spirit of Altadena, and the connection to nature and the connection to wellness,” Whirledge said. A century later, Whirledge, who grew up in the San Fernando Valley, and his wife, a painter, were drawn to this area for many of the same reasons as the health-seekers before them. But about three years after buying their dream home, the Eaton Fire reduced it and all 29 houses in the neighborhood to ash. Now, not only is Whirledge trying to rebuild, but he’s also facing a challenge left over from last century: his house used a cesspool for its sewage. All of his neighbors used cesspools or septic tanks too — meaning they aren’t connected to the pipes of the county sewer system. Morgan Whirledge stands at the edge of his property. All of the houses in his neighborhood burned in the Eaton Fire.and, now, some sewer systems, rebuilding with better infrastructure after a disaster is proving to be a complex and expensive challenge, with the costs largely borne by people who lost their homes, are underinsured or not insured at all, and simply trying to put their lives back together. In turn, some residents, including Whirledge, areOn a recent drizzly morning, Whirledge pointed to a small, unassuming black cap sticking out of the dirt on the lot where his home stood. “Underneath that, there's like a five foot diameter hole that goes down 16 feet, and that's essentially our waste system for this property,” he explained, describing his home’s cesspool.Six-hundred properties in Altadena — or about 1 in 10 residents— rely on outdated cesspools or septic systems, and more than 60% of those residents lost their homes, according to the L.A. County Public Works Department. California no longer allows cesspools in new construction and has strict rules for septic systems. That’s because they can pollute groundwater with raw sewage. But renovating sewer systems is not cheap or simple, with upgrades potentially costing tens of thousands of dollars. In response to cost concerns from residents, the county is allowing fire survivors to keep their existing systems, as long as they pass health and safety evaluations by the Department of Public Health.Such required testing has cost Whirledge about $5,000, he said. It’s another unexpected cost beyond rebuilding the house itself. “The real hurdle here is that no one really knows how much money it's going to take to rebuild their house, and you kind of discover that as you go along,” Whirledge said. He hopes his lawsuit against Southern California Edison, which has acknowledged publicly their equipment may have sparked the Eaton Fire, and an SBA disaster loan will help recoup such additional costs. Cesspools aren't allowed in new construction in California, but in Eaton Fire burn zones, old systems that pass safety evaluations can remain. To Whirledge, the fire presented an opportunity to build back his community without old cesspools and septic systems. “Is it better to put in these systems that are functional, but outdated? Or is it better to try and modernize our community and put in a sewer?” he said. His work to answer that question has made Whirledge a de facto sewer expert — “the guru of doo doo” has become his new nickname.They can hire an engineer to design the project, then get a permit from the county to build it. That’s the more expensive option. Otherwise, they can petition the county to become what’s called a “county improvement district.” In that case, the county designs and builds the sewer system, funding it through municipal bonds that are paid back by the property owners via tax assessments over 30 years.Whirledge and his neighbors went with the latter. So have 11 other Altadena neighborhoods representing about 300 properties that aren’t connected to the municipal sewer. The projects range from connecting 4 houses to more than 20, each with their own unique geographies and needs, said Yonah Halpern, an assistant deputy director at the county Public Works Department. The problem is, this process can be a long one, though Halpern said the county is working to expedite it. Time is of the essence: Whirledge and his neighbors are largely underinsured and trying to rebuild quickly in the face of dwindling temporary housing insurance and mortgage assistance.The county allocated a little over $1 million, plus another $1 million in federal funding has been approved, to complete initial plans for all of the Altadena sewer petition projects, Halpern said. Now they have to find a way to actually do the work. “Those funds from both the county and from this federal earmark are really just to do the preliminary engineering,” he said. Much of the infrastructure rebuild requires blocks of neighbors to coordinate. Whirledge, who is also a block captain for his street, said the system and friendships forged before the fire has helped facilitate much of that.Altadena Wildfire Recovery Infrastructure Financing District will help rebuild sewer and other infrastructure in the longer term, as will the county improvement district designation. Meanwhile, Halpern said, the county has sought grants and low-interest loans from the state and federal government, but he said they’ve been told those are largely geared toward designated disadvantaged communities, which Altadena is not. Privately-owned sewer upgrades are also not eligible for certain federal funds.some $34 billion in disaster aid, first requested by Gov. Gavin Newsom a month after the fires last year, to help finance these long-term aspects of rebuilding. For Whirledge's rebuild, he's decided to reconnect to the cesspool but also leave open the option to connect to a future modern sewer system.to their federal representatives urging dedicated funding for Altadena sewer projects. In response, Rep. Judy Chu has requested $2.4 million to go toward a sewer system for 11 of Whirledge's neighbors for fiscal year 2027.of homes that burned and were connected to septic tanks low-interest loans and a 10-year interest-free payment grace period. Sonoma County is structured differently, so it's not exactly a one-to-one comparison, but Whirledge suggested it could be something of a model. “We're sitting here with an opportunity to build a community that's more resilient and environmentally sound,” Whirledge said. “We just don't have the funding mechanisms to do it.” So the reluctant"guru of doo doo" is moving ahead with plans to connect his new home to the old cesspool — and make the connections needed for a potential future sewer. “We have to … hope that by the time we're finished with our build that we can find the financing to give us the opportunity to bring sewer in,” he said.Full StoryJackie and Shadow have two new chicks this Easter Sunday. Thousands of fans have been watching their eggs hatch on the popular nest livestream that made the eagles famous.The nonprofit that runs the livestream, Friends of Big Bear Valley, says dad Shadow showed up after the second hatch and saw his two chicks for the first time. Mom Jackie is is showing a natural behavior that’s actually a good sign. The nonprofit says she's salivating more — which helps provide electrolytes and antibodies her chicks need.
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