Artemis II commander reveals what happened when he saw a cross after his return to Earth



Less than a week after the Artemis II astronauts returned to Earth from their orbit of the moon, the crew members reflected on the profound wonders they saw on their mission — and upon their return.

On Thursday, Artemis II astronauts answered questions about their mission, and Reid Wiseman, the commander of the mission, described a profound moment he experienced on the Navy ship shortly after their return.

'I saw the cross on his collar, and I just broke down in tears.'

"I'm not really a religious person, but there was just no other avenue for me to explain anything or to experience anything. So I asked for the chaplain on the Navy ship to just come visit us for a minute."

He went on to describe the inexplicable moment of their meeting.

RELATED: PHOTOS: See the first up-close images from Artemis II's flyby of the moon

NASA/Getty Images

"When that man walked in, I had never met him before in my life, but I saw the cross on his collar, and I just broke down in tears," Wiseman explained.

Victor Glover, one of Wiseman's crewmates, said he was present when they met with the chaplain.

"The only thing I would add is I am a religious person, but everything else is the same."

Both Wiseman and Glover indicated they need more time to process all that they saw, since they have been remarkably busy in the days since they returned to the Earth's surface.

"We have not had that decompression. We have not had that reflection time," Wiseman said.

"There is something in there, and as we start to process, I'll have to tell you next week, but haven't had a chance to really unpack it all yet," Glover added.

Over the span of the clip, the two crewmembers also described an amazing moment of the mission: the eclipse of the moon and the sun.

"When the sun eclipsed behind the moon ... I turned to Victor, and I said, 'I don't think humanity has evolved to the point of being able to comprehend what we're looking at right now.' Because it was otherworldly. It was amazing," Wiseman said.

One of the two craters on the far side of the moon, not normally visible from Earth, now bears the name of Wiseman's late wife, Carroll. Carroll Wiseman passed away from cancer in 2020.

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Dead or vanishing scientists tied to NASA, JPL, and Los Alamos: Glenn Beck’s take may surprise you



A growing list of U.S. scientists and researchers — many tied to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, defense, nuclear, or advanced tech programs — have died or gone missing since 2023.

Nine names are dominating the headlines:

  • Michael David Hicks — NASA JPL research scientist; died July 30, 2023, age 59; cause never publicly disclosed, no autopsy record found.
  • Frank Maiwald — NASA JPL principal researcher (longtime colleague of Hicks); died July 4, 2024, age 61, in Los Angeles; cause not released, single obituary only, no autopsy reported.
  • Anthony Chavez — Former Los Alamos National Laboratory employee; vanished May 2025, age ~78; left home on foot with belongings left behind; still missing.
  • Monica Reza — Aerospace/materials scientist with NASA/JPL and AFRL-linked rocket propulsion work; disappeared while hiking in Angeles National Forest, June 22, 2025, age 60; still missing after extensive searches.
  • Melissa Casias — Los Alamos National Laboratory administrative assistant (reported security clearance); vanished June 26, 2025, age 53; left after dropping off husband, phones factory-reset, car/belongings left behind, seen walking on highway; still missing.
  • Nuno Loureiro — MIT plasma/fusion physicist and professor; shot multiple times at his Brookline, Massachusetts, home on December 15, 2025, and died December 16, age 47.
  • Carl Grillmair — Caltech astrophysicist with significant NASA/JPL-supported work; shot and killed on his front porch in Llano, California, February 16, 2026, age 67; suspect arrested and charged.
  • William Neil McCasland (Ret. Air Force Maj. Gen.) — Former AFRL commander with classified space/defense program ties; disappeared from his Albuquerque home on February 27, 2026, age 68; still missing, search ongoing.

News coverage has ramped up significantly in the past couple of weeks over this story and continues to garner national attention, but Glenn Beck thinks the conspiracy theory that these cases are all somehow connected jumps the gun.

On this episode of “The Glenn Beck Program,” Glenn pushes back on the hype by illustrating how easily one can ignite a conspiracy theory.

Glenn notes that these nine cases, while speculated to be connected, are really “a mixed data set.”

“If you go through all of these things, there are some confirmed crimes with explanations. ... Some of them are missing person cases. ... Some are isolated homicides,” he says.

The narrative that these nine scientists worked in closely related fields, Glenn argues, is a stretch.

“Pharma, fusion, space. ... That doesn't mean that there isn't a connection there, but nobody is showing the connection here. That's not a tight network,” he says. “That's anyone who is near defense-adjacent technology.”

He also rejects speculation of "institutional silence.”

“Universities and laboratories and government, they rarely disclose the details. Privacy, ongoing investigations, legal liability, phrases like ‘passed away suddenly’ — that's standard. ... That's not evidence of concealment,” he says.

“I'm not one to dismiss conspiracy theories, but it seems like we go out looking for some things,” he continues.

To illustrate how easily a conspiracy theory can gain traction, Glenn shares some recent data from his own industry.

“In the last 12 months, I've had eight people in my industry die,” he says, citing longtime radio syndication executive Gary Krantz, Pittsburgh radio icon and conservative talk host Jim Quinn, award-winning Texas radio journalist Matt Thomas, WMAL radio host John Lyon, and conservative talk radio pioneer David Gold, among others.

“Of course, Charlie Kirk, we know,” he adds.

“None of these are connected, but if I wanted to, I could do [it],” says Glenn.

“I have a list of maybe 25 names. They all died in the last year.”

Glenn issues a stark warning: “Be very, very careful about propaganda. ... There's a lot of information out there, but you can take information and make it into anything you want.”

To hear more, watch the video above.

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'I wanted to thank God in public': Fighting tears, Victor Glover gives legendary speech on return to Earth



NASA's Victor Glover showed once again why he represents some of the best of what the United States has to offer.

After Glover and the Artemis II crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, the pilot almost broke down in tears while delivering his first remarks since returning to dry land.

'It's too big to just be in one body.'

The crew members were in Houston, Texas, following their successful lunar orbit when Glover was asked by Commander Reid Wiseman to give a few words. Glover, who has been revered for providing on-the-spot wisdom before and during the mission, was at first at a loss for words.

"I have not processed what we just did, and I'm afraid to start even trying," Glover began.

Fighting back tears, he powered through.

"When this started on April 3, I wanted to thank God in public, and I want to thank God again," he said, as he became visibly emotional. "Because even bigger than my challenge trying to describe what we went through, the gratitude of seeing what we saw, doing what we did, and being with who I was with — it's too big to just be in one body."

The audience at NASA's Johnson Space Center erupted in applause as the pilot then thanked his wife and four daughters, whom he referred to as "those five beautiful cocoa-skinned ladies."

RELATED: NASA astronaut gives very American response to DEI questioning

"I love you ... all of you," Glover continued. He then turned his attention to NASA staff and leadership.

While the leadership has changed since 2023, he remarked, "the qualities haven't. And we are fortunate to be in this agency at this time together."

Wiseman wasn't short on wisdom, either. The crew leader fought back tears of his own when he had the microphone, mostly talking about the worry and anxiety the astronauts' families had ahead of mission launch.

"This was not easy being 200,000+ miles away from home. Like, before you launch, it feels like it's the greatest dream on Earth. And when you're out there, you just want to get back to your families and your friends."

Wiseman concluded by noting how special it is to be human and how grateful he feels to be on planet Earth.

RELATED: NASA's Victor Glover shares gospel as he circles dark side of the moon: 'Love God with all that you are'

Danielle Villasana/Getty Images

Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) took the podium soon after to thank the Artemis II crew on behalf of America. The congressman stated that the United States, as well as the world, "desperately needed this."

Cloud said the mission reminded him of Psalm 8, affirming that "even as we look to the night sky and as we look at creation, and behold the stars and the moon, we begin to think about what is mankind from God's perspective."

The Artemis II crew reached a point 252,756 miles from Earth and set a new human record for the maximum distance away from the planet.

Artemis III is set for mid-2027, while Artemis IV is targeted for early 2028 and is expected to land humans on the moon.

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7 scientists tied to NASA, Los Alamos, and defense research dead or missing — Pat Gray reacts



Conspiracy theories are swirling after several prominent U.S. scientists and defense researchers with ties to classified aerospace, nuclear, and UFO projects died or mysteriously vanished under suspicious circumstances in recent years.

Rumors about cover-ups, assassinations, and even stranger theories are ramping up, and now even mainstream outlets are beginning to take notice.

On a recent episode of “Pat Gray Unleashed,” Pat, Keith Malinak, and Jeffy watched and reacted to a recent segment from Fox News host Will Cain, who laid out seven of the most striking cases and asked the obvious question: Are these incidents connected, or is this just a tragic coincidence?

Cain presented the following cases of scientists and defense researchers who died or disappeared under suspicious circumstances:

  • Carl Grillmair: Caltech astrophysicist who worked on a NASA-supported space telescope project and infrared systems; "shot and killed at his home just two months ago."
  • Frank Maiwald: Senior scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab; "died nearly two years ago, but his cause of death has never been made public."
  • Monica Reza: NASA/JPL-connected aerospace scientist; disappeared while hiking in California last summer.
  • William McCasland: Retired Air Force major general who formerly commanded the Air Force Research Lab and oversaw classified aerospace R&D; vanished from his home in February 2026. He had a direct professional connection to Monica Reza through funding her earlier materials research project.
  • Melissa Casias: Worked an administrative role at Los Alamos National Lab with security clearances; has been "missing since last summer."
  • Anthony Chavez: Longtime Los Alamos National Laboratory employee; disappeared while out for a walk in May 2025.
  • Nuno Loureiro: MIT plasma and fusion physicist; shot and killed in December 2025 at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, after answering the doorbell.

Cain noted the overlap in their sensitive research ties, pointing out the same handful of institutions — NASA, Air Force Research, Los Alamos Laboratory — and asked: “Could they be connected, or is this something else entirely?”

Pat calls the entire situation “bizarre” and reacts with his trademark skepticism. To hear his full take and what he thinks might really be going on, watch the episode above.

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Burchett claims alien 'machinery' could destroy us in 'a blink of an eye'



The loose-lipped Republican politician made fresh, wild assertions about classified government meetings, the alleged existence of alien programs, and secret forced breeding programs crossing aliens and humans.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) continued his recent extraterrestrial revelations in a recent interview, just as NASA is circling the moon.

'This is what the guy told me.'

During a discussion with TMZ hosts Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere, Burchett was asked to elaborate on a closed-door meeting he had in a "secure setting" with an unnamed official.

Burchett quickly told the hosts that the individual "gave addresses, they gave times and dates," and that the people who were in the meeting included those from the "executive branch of previous presidents, not this current president."

After those remarks, TMZ's Levin got more specific, asking directly about reports of "pieces of machinery" and "life" that were alleged found and did not "seem earthly."

Levin asked Burchett to address the existence of either or both.

"I'd say you'd be safe to say both," the Republican replied.

RELATED: 'I'm not suicidal': Rep. Burchett says US would fall apart if we heard truth about UFOs

Pushing things further, TMZ asked Burchett if it was true that "a member of our government" told him that a piece of alien machinery "interacted in some form with people."

Burchett simply replied, "Yeah, they have ... it's pretty wild."

"I'm not going to lie to you," the 61-year-old continued, claiming he would even take a polygraph test to prove it. "This is what the guy told me."

Burchett then recalled an interaction he had with a "very high-ranking naval official" who allegedly described underwater crafts to him that were the size of "a football field moving at over 200 miles an hour."

Burchett's story placed the meeting at his own office and concluded with the military official pulling him "up close" and saying, "Tim, they're real."

The official then left out the side door, which Burchett said "nobody ever uses," describing it as "kind of weird."

RELATED: Elon Musk announces plans for PERMANENT lunar city

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Burchett actually dispelled any idea that Earth is in danger, saying he did not believe there was an imminent threat just because the unknown forces could destroy humanity if they so chose to.

"I don't think we're at danger of this. I mean, if these things exist, as I think they do, they could have destroyed us with a blink of an eye. I just don't see that," the congressman explained.

He then added, "But I do think they have the technology and the capabilities of something that we can't understand or we can't grasp."

The eyebrow-raising interview concluded with Burchett commenting on recent remarks by former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

Gaetz had told host Benny Johnson about "enforced breeding programs" that involved "captured aliens" who were forced to breed with humans "to create some hybrid race that could engage in intergalactic communication."

"That's a true story," Burchett claimed. The congressman said that he, Gaetz, and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) went to an unspecified location in Florida, where the group of politicians was first turned away. That was until Gaetz "made a phone call to somebody at the Pentagon."

"All of a sudden they opened the doors," Burchett recalled.

It was then that a group of pilots allegedly told the politicians about the breeding program.

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Artemis II Mission Shows There Are No Limits To American Exceptionalism

Pushing the boundaries of what was once thought to be impossible is a hallmark of American greatness. And the recent mission to circle the moon is no different. The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission set a record on Monday for traveling further into space than any humans have ever gone before. As part of […]

NASA's Victor Glover shares gospel as he circles dark side of the moon: 'Love God with all that you are'



NASA's Artemis II pilot found time to speak about Christ and Christianity before circumnavigating the moon on Monday.

Before Victor Glover and his fellow crew members traversed the dark side of the moon, losing radio signal as they went out of Earth's line of sight, Glover said he wanted to remind Earth-dwellers about one of the "most important mysteries" in the world.

'We love you from the moon.'

In a message to NASA's mission control, with the radio transmission broadcasted live, Glover revealed he was talking about "love."

"Christ said in response to 'what was the greatest command' that it was to love God with all that you are. And he, also being a great teacher, said the second is equal to it, and that is to love your neighbor as yourself," Glover stated.

He concluded the transmission, marked at 6:44 p.m. ET, by saying, "And so as we prepare to go out of radio communication, we're still going to feel your love from Earth. And to all of you down there on Earth and around Earth: We love you from the moon."

After a pause, mission control responded: "Houston copies. We'll see you on the other side."

"We will see you on the other side," Glover affirmed.

RELATED: NASA astronaut gives very American response to DEI questioning

According to NASA's log, the crew had just witnessed an "Earthset" three minutes earlier, the moment Earth drops below the lunar horizon.

This marked the beginning of about 40 minutes of darkness as the astronauts traveled behind the moon, which blocks the radio signals from NASA's network.

The Artemis II crew reached 252,756 miles beyond our planet 18 minutes later, at 7:02 p.m., at a new human record for the maximum distance attained from Earth.

By 8:35 p.m., the crew entered a solar eclipse that lasted about an hour, before beginning their trip back home.

RELATED: UConn star Tarris Reed praises Jesus ahead of national championship: 'He changed everything about me'

Glover has been full of memorable and insightful quotes throughout the mission, including the remarks he made before Easter. Glover spoke on video alongside his crew members about "the beauty of creation" over the weekend, saying that from his perspective, he could see Earth as one whole, and it reminded him of Scripture.

"When I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us who were created ... you have this amazing place — this spaceship. You guys are talking to us because we're in a spaceship really far from Earth. But you're on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe — in the cosmos," Glover explained.

Astonishingly, without having prepared remarks, Glover delivered an extemporaneous motivational speech to all those listening.

"Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we're doing is special, but we're the same distance from you. And I'm trying to tell you — just trust me: You are special. In all of this emptiness — this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe — you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together."

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PHOTOS: See the first up-close images from Artemis II's flyby of the moon



Artemis II made history on Monday night as it flew around the moon in the farthest manned flight from the Earth.

On Tuesday morning, NASA released some stunning photos from the historic flyby.

'On the far side of the Moon, 252,756 miles away, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy have now traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history.'

The White House and NASA posted some of the most stunning photos on social media, including a total eclipse from behind the moon:

RELATED: WATCH: Trump tells moon-looping Artemis astronauts what's next in out-of-this-world phone call

NASA

Reminiscent of the famous "Earthrise" photo taken by William Anders on the Apollo 8 mission, NASA also published a photo of "Earthset." According to NASA, this is the first photo from the far side of the moon ever taken.

NASA

NASA Artemis also posted a photo of the Orientale basin, most of which is not visible from Earth. This perspective will allow new discoveries to be made.

The account describes the photo and the new discovery: "The Artemis II crew captured this image showing the rings of the Orientale basin during their lunar flyby on April 6. At the 10 o’clock position of the Orientale basin, the two smaller craters — which the Artemis II crew has suggested be named Integrity & Carroll — are visible."

NASA

The flyby of the moon lasted several hours starting Monday afternoon.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman celebrated the historic moment with an exciting update on Monday of the progress of astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen:

Artemis II has reached its maximum distance from Earth. On the far side of the Moon, 252,756 miles away, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy have now traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history and now begin their journey home. Before they left, they said they hoped this mission would be forgotten, but it will be remembered as the moment people started to believe that America can once again do the near-impossible and change the world. Congratulations to this incredible crew and the entire NASA team, our international and commercial partners, but this mission isn’t over until they’re under safe parachutes, splashing down into the Pacific.

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WATCH: Trump tells moon-looping Artemis astronauts what's next in out-of-this-world phone call



The Artemis II crew made history on Monday, putting more distance — 252,756 miles — between themselves and Earth than any previous human spaceflight. The previous record, 248,655 miles, was set by Apollo 13 in 1970.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen looped around the moon in their Orion spacecraft, flying as close as 4,070 miles on one approach and losing signal for roughly 40 minutes while passing behind the celestial body.

'We'll establish a permanent presence.'

In addition to breaking the distance record for human spaceflight and making "impactful science observations" of the far side of the moon, NASA said the crew also took a moment to "provisionally name" a couple of lunar craters.

As the Artemis II crew began their voyage back to Earth, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman notified them that they had a call waiting.

"A very special hello to Artemis II," said President Donald Trump. "Today, you've made history and made all America really proud, incredibly proud. We have a lot of things to be proud of lately, but this is — there's nothing like what you're doing, circling around the moon for the first time in more than a half a century and breaking the all-time record for the farthest distance from Planet Earth."

RELATED: NASA astronaut gives very American response to DEI questioning

Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Trump also informed Hansen that his countrymen are proud of him, stating, "I spoke to your prime minister and many other friends I have in Canada. They are so proud of you."

Emphasizing that America is a "frontier nation" and that the Artemis II crew are "modern-day pioneers," the president noted that while such journeys are rare, "It's going to be more and more prevalent because we're going to be doing a lot of ... traveling, and then you're going to ultimately do the whole big trip to Mars."

Trump said that the Artemis II mission sets the stage for a return to the lunar surface "very soon," adding that "this time, we won't just leave footprints; we'll establish a permanent presence on the moon."

Commander Reid Wiseman, a Baltimore native, told Trump that his call was "certainly special to all of us."

Wiseman noted that two unforgettable parts of their journey were watching a solar eclipse and glimpsing Mars: "All of us commented how excited we are to watch this nation and this planet become a two-planet species."

Koch said her top highlight was seeing Earth again after passing around the far side of the moon.

"It really just reminds you what a special place we have and how important it is for our nation ... to lead and not follow in exploring deep space," said Koch.

The president said he plans to invite the astronauts to the White House after their return and to ask them for their autographs.

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WATCH LIVE: Artemis II crew to get first glimpse of the dark side of the moon



Artemis II is preparing to make history as it faces a very important milestone in the voyage's 10-day journey to the moon and back.

The lunar mission, launched on the evening of April 1, is preparing to fly by the dark side of the moon on Monday.

'The Artemis II crew is preparing for today's lunar flyby, when they will see the Moon's far side.'

Artemis II is preparing to set a new distance record from Earth, which was last set by the manned Apollo 13 mission in April 1970, according to NASA.

NASA said that Artemis II will surpass the previous record of 248,655 miles by about 4,105 miles. The astronauts are expected to travel a maximum distance of 252,760 miles from Earth.

RELATED: NASA astronaut gives very American response to DEI questioning

NASA

Live coverage of the flyby event will begin at 1 p.m. ET Monday and continue through 9:45 p.m. ET.

The seven-hour lunar observation period will begin around 2:45 p.m. ET, and the astronauts are expected to reach their closest approach to the lunar surface around 7 p.m. At their closest distance, NASA said, the moon will appear to the astronauts about the size of a basketball held at arm's length.

On Monday morning, NASA posted two photos of the inside of the spaceship with the caption: "Morning routine: Wake up, shave, make the bed, witness something that's never before been seen by human eyes."

"The Artemis II crew is preparing for today's lunar flyby, when they will see the Moon's far side," the caption continued.

NASA reported that the crew received a message from the late Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell as they prepared for this historic day. The message, recorded before Lovell's passing last year, said:

Hello, Artemis II! This is Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. Welcome to my old neighborhood! When Frank Borman, Bill Anders, and I orbited the moon on Apollo 8, we got humanity’s first up-close look at the moon and got a view of the home planet that inspired and united people around the world. I’m proud to pass that torch on to you — as you swing around the moon and lay the groundwork for missions to Mars … for the benefit of all. It’s a historic day, and I know how busy you’ll be. But don’t forget to enjoy the view. So, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy, and all the great teams supporting you — good luck and Godspeed from all of us here on the good Earth.

The Orion spacecraft is expected to depart the Moon's sphere of influence on Tuesday afternoon at a distance of 41,072 miles.

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