The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop on all departing flights on Friday afternoon.

Departing flights have been grounded over what the FAA called “extraordinary circumstances” and “reasons of safety.”

‘FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them.’

“All departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice,” the air traffic control advisory said.

“Inbound international flights will be managed on a case by case basis,” the FAA added.

At 4:16 p.m. Friday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a statement on X about the stoppage.

“The @FAAnews issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers,” he wrote. “FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them.”

RELATED: Scare at Mar-a-Lago after another plane violates airspace, causing F-16 fighter jets to scramble

A similar ground stop was issued by the FAA in Jan. 2023 that delayed 4,600 flights and canceled another 567 flights.

The FAA had said in a post on social media at the time it needed time to “validate the integrity of flight and safety information.”

This is a developing story.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Air travel, Faa, Politics 

Movie star and bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger has a few key tenets for what a true Republican is and says no one is going to change his philosophy.

The former politician also said that despite his party affiliation, there was one major issue that prevented him from being willing to endorse President Donald Trump in past elections.

‘Yeah, I’m a Republican. Absolutely.’

Party animal

Appearing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Schwarzenegger, who served two terms as a Republican governor of California, was remarking on his ability to work amicably with his predecessor, Democrat Gray Davis. He said that getting along with Davis at a charity event was a showcase for how “Democrats and Republicans can do something together and not hate each other.”

This prompted Kimmel to ask if the action star was “still a Republican.”

“Yeah, I’m a Republican. Absolutely.”

Kimmel wanted to know exactly what that meant, implying that it was hard to tell what being a Republican stands for in the current political climate.

Schwarzenegger was not too shy to answer.

“Well, a traditional Republican is someone that admires the Republican Party for having freed the slaves,” he began. “This is the history. This is what I’m about.”

Giving slaves citizenship and the right to vote, to Kimmel, “sounds like all the opposite things that the Republican party stands for now,” the host claimed.

Schwarzenegger didn’t budge: “Yeah, but it doesn’t mean that I have to change my philosophy.”

Describing that philosophy of a mix between Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon, the former Mr. Olympia noted some of his preferred policy decisions that take the moniker of conservative quite literally. This included the creation of the California Air Resources Board and the Environmental Protection Agency.

RELATED: Actor Ryan Phillippe says he’s done with politics — but progressives tell him he’s not allowed

Muscle breach

Being an environmentalist Republican is what Schwarzenegger also said was the determining factor in his decision to not endorse President Trump in 2016.

The 79-year-old said that during a phone call, he told Trump that while he was willing to be his friend, then-candidate Trump’s refusal to consider climate change as a key issue meant he couldn’t back him.

“I said, ‘You don’t believe there is climate change. You don’t believe [in] the threat of pollution,'” Schwarzenegger recalled.

“I said, ‘I know. I’ve worked on that issue for so many years.'”

Trump’s alleged response was that he “totally understand[s]” and had no ill will toward the bodybuilder.

RELATED: DON’T MENTION THE ISLAM: John Cleese versus Britain’s new sacred cows

Randy Holmes/Disney/Getty Images

‘Bogus’ Barack?

Kimmel and Schwarzenegger did a lot of agreeing on the show, promoting unity between Republicans and Democrats despite Schwarzenegger’s description of Kimmel as “much more liberal” than he is, with Kimmel saying they probably agreed on 85% of topics.

Schwarzenegger, however, was keen on the idea that no party working on its own can create proper policy, and this is why he was a great politician, because he willingly worked with Democrats.

Neither party “did true immigration reform. So we [are] still fighting over immigration,” the “Governator” claimed.

“None of them participated in reducing our debt. None of them created a health care system where everyone is insured,” he added.

While Kimmel argued that “one of them tried,” likely referring to President Barack Obama, Schwarzenegger replied, “Bogus.”

“If the Democrats do something by themselves or if the Republicans do something by themselves, it’s bogus,” Schwarzenegger concluded.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Arnold schwarzenegger, Jimmy kimmel, Donald trump, Republicans, Democrats, California, Entertainment 

Far-left protesters interrupted an interview with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) at the What’s Next conference in Denver, Colorado, on Friday.

One heckler called Jeffries a traitor and screamed for another impeachment as Jeffries was being interviewed by Jessica Tarlov of Fox News.

‘Why should we trust you, when you’re in the pocket of corporations and you take money from private equity?’

“We’ve got to fix what’s been broken, and we’re gonna begin very early on in the new Congress by working to reverse the Medicaid cuts and working to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” said Jeffries.

“And then we’ve got to go further to make sure that we don’t just fix what’s broken,” he added.

“You are a f***ing liar!” a man yelled from the audience.

“The American people demanded impeachment!” he added.

“90% of Democrats, who you pretend to lead.”

Most of the audience booed him, and Jeffries paused while the heckler was escorted out of the room. However, he continued to yell.

“You’re a f***ing traitor! You’re a f***ing oligarch lapdog!” he added.

“So how about permitting reform?” Tarlov joked.

“F*** you all! F*** you all!” the heckler continued as he was escorted out.

Shortly thereafter, another protester shouted, “Why should we vote for you when you are in the pocket of [inaudible], and you take money from private equity?

“You don’t fight for the people!”

“Remember, y’all, I grew up in Brooklyn,” Jeffries joked.

The interruption lasted about two minutes, according to the C-SPAN video, and the conference continued on afterward.

The protesters yelled slogans that reflect the far-left socialist fringe’s effort to keep Jeffries from taking the reins as the speaker of the House after the massive Democratic victories in the midterms.

RELATED: Hakeem Jeffries implies democratic socialists oppose his leadership out of RACISM

Other speakers at the conference called for Democrats to avoid controversy and work toward substantive cooperation with President Donald Trump.

James Talarico, who won a U.S. Senate seat for Texas, called on Democrats to work with Trump to make his last two years in office the “most productive of any presidency.”

“We can’t play it safe. We can’t get bogged down in the same petty fights,” said Talarico.

“We can’t settle for nibbling around the edges or results people will only feel a decade from now,” he added.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Hakeem jeffries, Politics, James talarico 

Reformed Baptist theologian Wesley Huff has restored his online presence after his videos and content were briefly taken down in the wake of allegations he committed plagiarism.

Huff, born in Pakistan to missionary parents but now based in Toronto, has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame as a Christian apologist in recent years. In addition to regularly communicating to his over 1 million subscribers on YouTube, he has shared insights into the Bible and Christianity on popular online shows such as “The Joe Rogan Experience,” “The Shawn Ryan Show,” Andrew Schulz’s “Flagrant,” and “Piers Morgan Uncensored.”

‘That somebody used my stuff is not that big of a deal to me.’

His reputation took a hit this week, however, after American biblical scholar Dan McClellan published a video on Sunday highlighting evidence of plagiarism. The allegations relate to a paper that Huff — who is now a PhD student at the University of Toronto’s Wycliffe College — submitted while pursuing his master’s degree in theological studies at Tyndale University.

McClellan suggested that on first reading, he observed that the argumentation in Huff’s paper, which is titled “Christological Claims: A Textual Consideration of John’s Gospel,” was “uneven.”

“There were parts where it displayed a lot more sensitivity and insight than other parts, and this is a huge red flag for professors reading essays and papers from students,” said McClellan.

On closer examination, McClellan found staggering similarities between Huff’s paper and a paper titled “Jesus as ΘΕΟΣ: A Textual Examination” by Brian J. Wright, the senior pastor of Redeemer Community Church in Pensacola, Florida, which was published in 2011. Huff did not cite Wright in “Christological Claims.”

RELATED: Christians are missing the opportunity next door

McClellan proceeded to show in detail how Huff was allegedly “borrowing the argument from Wright, borrowing quotations from Wright, borrowing bibliographic information from Wright — sometimes word for word.”

According to McClellan, “in at least one instance, the attempt to rephrase the thing resulted in an entirely ungrammatical statement.”

“That paper was plagiarized” emphasized McClellan.

By Friday morning, all but one of Huff’s videos on YouTube had been removed, his website had been set to private, and his posts on X were set to protected. Then before 3 p.m., public access to his videos, website, and X account had all been restored.

Huff said in a video, “If you want to cancel 24-year-old Wes for this, then sure, me too. What’s on my Academia page is not me at my best. In fact, it’s a pretty good example of me at my absolute worst. If you think that this is representative of my best, current, or accurate scholarship, then I’m not entirely sure what to tell you.

“But nonetheless, I take ownership for such poor and problematic work that has my name attached to it,” added Huff.

The pop theologian also shared video remarks from Wright, who said he appreciated Huff’s “integrity” and “humility” in reaching out about “what was going on online.” Wright also said on the video shared by Huff that he wants everything he writes to be “used by the church” and bring glory to Christ.

“That somebody used my stuff is not that big of a deal to me,” Wright added.

The Florida pastor told Blaze News, “As a scholar, I take academic integrity seriously and do not condone plagiarism. But as a Christian, I also believe in extending grace and forgiveness, recognizing that forgiveness does not excuse wrongdoing or eliminate accountability.”

Wright added, “In other words, I would distinguish between extending personal forgiveness and excusing academic misconduct. The former does not negate the need for the latter to be addressed separately.”

In a response video on Friday, McClellan characterized Huff as a “serial spreader of misinformation” and accused him of “dirty-deleting” posts and videos.

Just after 3 p.m. Friday, Huff posted to X that he will be “stepping back from further public comment while the Apologetics Canada Board conducts its thorough review.” Huff serves as vice president of Apologetics Canada.

“I take the concerns about plagiarism in my written work seriously. Honesty and integrity matter deeply to me, and not correctly crediting others’ work, in any setting, falls short of those standards,” Huff posted.

“I’m committed to full accountability and am walking closely through this with my pastor, church elder board, and the Apologetics Canada Board of Directors.”

Tyndale University and Apologetics Canada did not immediately respond to Blaze News’ request for comment.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Protestant, Politics, Christianity, Plagiarism 

No charges will be filed against a mother who was behind the wheel of a truck that hit multiple people on a soccer field in Wichita, Kansas, last month, killing a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man, the Sedgwick County district attorney said Thursday, according to KAKE-TV.

“This is not a crime, and I cannot charge this driver with a crime,” DA Marc Bennett said during a news conference with the Wichita Police Department, the station noted.

‘We obtained the vehicle history from Chevrolet and Carfax. We checked for recalls and service bulletins. None were found.’

Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said that prior to the Oct. 17 incident, the driver of the Chevrolet truck told her children she was going to take a nap and put her seat all the way back, the station said. After she fell asleep, one of her children put up a sunshade, KAKE said — and an image displayed during in the news conference shows the sunshade against the truck’s windshield.

Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received multiple 911 calls around 3:25 p.m. reporting that a truck had driven onto a soccer field during a match at the Stryker Sports Complex in northeast Wichita, the station said.

Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35, both from McPherson, were killed, the station said, while 10 others — ranging in age from 5 to 68 — were injured and taken to hospitals. The station added that as of Thursday none of the surviving victims are facing critical injuries.

Police said the driver of the truck was identified as a 34-year-old woman from Garden City, the station said, adding that her name has not been released.

The woman departed from Garden City at 7 a.m. and traveled directly to the Stryker Sports Complex with her children, who were participating in soccer matches, the station said, adding that the mother drove for nearly four hours.

From 1:20 to 2:30 p.m., the driver and her children went to lunch and ran errands, the station said, then returned to the sports complex and where she placed her vehicle in a west-facing parking stall.

“I also want to say that when the vehicle returned, in interviews with the driver and the children, the driver told the children that she was going to take a nap, and she put the seat back all the way … and goes to sleep,” Sullivan said Thursday, according to the station.

The driver’s vehicle was in the parking stall from 2:36 p.m. until 3:22 p.m. when the incident occurred, the station said.

Sullivan told the station that after the incident, an off-duty police officer from Dodge City saw that the driver’s seat was all the way back when he approached the driver.

The woman was cooperative at all times, Sullivan said, according to the station, and investigators found no impairing substances in the truck or in the blood sample the woman provided.

Investigators after consulting with the DA’s office initially lacked probable cause to arrest the driver, the station said, adding that investigators conducted nearly 50 interviews with witnesses and others following the incident.

No recalls were found for her vehicle, the station said, and an inspection showed no mechanical issues with the vehicle.

“We obtained the vehicle history from Chevrolet and Carfax,” Sullivan said, according to the station. “We checked for recalls and service bulletins. None were found.”

Sullivan said police recreated the scene with an officer of a similar size and stature, the station said. Officials said another truck that was the same make, model, and year as the woman’s vehicle was placed in the exact parking stall where the her vehicle was before the incident.

Officers found that if the truck was left in drive, it would not go over the curb — meaning the gas pedal had to have been engaged, the station said.

RELATED: Mom released from custody after truck she was driving hits multiple people on soccer field, killing boy, 6, man, 35: Police

District Attorney Bennett said a medical emergency had no role in the incident, there was no evidence of impairment, and she was driving a truck that was not her normal vehicle, the station said.

“She drove her husband’s truck,” Bennett said, according to the station. “She’d been driving it for a few days, but it was not her normal vehicle.”

Bennett also said there’s no evidence of an intentional crime, the station said, and that the driver told police that she “put it in park.”

The DA’s written report indicates that if the woman had placed the truck in park in the stall before the incident, a number of things would have had to occur in order for the vehicle to be accidentally placed in drive — while she was asleep — which makes such a possibility “less plausible.”

First, the brake pedal would have to be engaged before the column shift moved from park to drive; the shifter would have to move forward from park and then down into drive; the act of shifting from park to drive results in a noise that the driver and the other occupants of the vehicle missed; and then if all the latter occurs, the driver would then have to remove her foot from the brake pedal to the gas pedal “while she slept.”

The report adds that the possibility the driver thought she placed the vehicle in park but actually left it in drive in the parking stall appears to be the “most likely explanation,” as it requires only one final step: the driver inadvertently placing her foot on the gas pedal while asleep.

Prosecutors could not establish that the driver “knowingly” or “recklessly” endangered anyone, which is required by Kansas law for criminal charges the be considered, Fox News said, adding that the report also notes that a single act of negligence was insufficient to support a vehicular manslaughter charge under state law.

What’s more, Kansas does not have negligent homicide on the books, KAKE noted, adding that the only crime Bennett could charge is vehicular homicide — but he said there is “not enough” evidence for it.

Bennett added to the station that if he brought a vehicular homicide charge, he would be guilty of hindsight bias.

“There are no facts uncovered by this investigation to suggest this was an intentional act. There are no facts to conclude that this was a knowing act,” Bennett said, according to KAKE. “There are no facts in this case uncovered to conclude that this was a reckless act, as that term is defined by Kansas law, not as understood in common parlance as we talk about it in our daily lives. But conscious disregard. I cannot prove she consciously disregarded a tremendous risk to the people on that field.”

DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers confirmed to the station that it is working with some of the affected families on possible civil lawsuits.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Kansas, Soccer, Mom, District attorney, No charges, Fatal car accident, Wichita, Crime 

Another migrant caravan is making its way north through Mexico, and this one is traveling under a striking name: “Dios con Nosotros,” or “God with Us.”

The group, reportedly numbering between 800 and more than 1,000 migrants, gathered in Tapachula, Chiapas, with plans to continue toward the United States.

On “Pat Gray Unleashed,” Gray, Jeff Fisher, and Kris Cruz take a closer look at photos of the caravan, including images of migrants carrying flags from the very countries they’re leaving behind.

“Why are you carrying flags of the country you just fled?” Gray asks in disbelief. “If Nicaragua … is so great, why are you leaving it?”

“I’ve never understood that, but they do it every single time, and then they wave them in our face when they get here,” he continues.

“But all of those people, every single one of them, just good, decent, hardworking family people, probably mostly doctors, lawyers, rocket scientists, brain surgeons, Nobel Prize-winning physicists,” he adds, joking.

Kris Cruz then points out that the caravan members are reportedly asking the Mexican government for “free transit, free safe passage, and for food, water, and basic aid” along the way.

“So you can just start walking north. And then expect every country along the way to take care of you,” Gray says.

“I thought Mexico was stopping them at the southern border. They had worked out a deal … where they were going to stop the migrants at the Mexican southern border,” Fisher comments.

“And apparently we don’t have that deal any more,” Gray adds.

Want more from Pat Gray?

To enjoy more of Pat’s biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​American flags, Dios con nosotros, Migrant caravan, Southern border, Blazetv show 

It didn’t take long for courts in Abu Dhabi to hand down sentences following a fight between mixed martial arts fighters at a hotel.

The altercation happened on Wednesday at a Hilton hotel on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, and by Friday morning, several parties involved were already on their way to prison.

‘[Abu Dhabi] is not a place to go f*** around.’

UFC star and devout Christian Merab Dvalishvili of the Republic of Georgia was filming a promotion for wrestling organization RAF in the Hilton hotel when he was approached by fellow MMA fighter Usman Nurmagomedov, a Muslim from Dagestan, who was with a large group of people. Nurmagomedov’s family and crew have been rivals of Dvalishvili and his ilk for some time.

Video showed Nurmagomedov slap Dvalishvili in the face before two more men attacked the Georgian fighter. A massive scuffle then ensued, leading to 10 arrests.

Every man involved in the incident has been charged, with Nurmagomedov and his cohorts receiving the harshest of punishments.

According to the National News, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department said in a statement that six of the men involved were charged for disturbing public security, causing panic, and endangering lives. They were each sentenced to six months in prison, fined Dh300,000 (~$81,000 USD), and ordered to be deported after serving their sentences.

Two others were sentenced to six months in prison for “violating privacy by using information technology to film and publish footage of the brawl” and were fined the same amount. They will also be deported after finishing their sentences.

Yahoo Sports confirmed that the eight men sentenced to prison were Nurmagomedov and his crew.

However, according to an English translation, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department stated on X: “Abu Dhabi court convicts 10 defendants in a hotel brawl, sentencing each to 6 months in prison and a fine of 300,000 dirhams, and ordering their deportation from the country.”

It is unclear whether the discrepancy between the reports is due to a translation issue.

RELATED: VIDEO: Mob of Muslim fighters jump Christian UFC star in brutal attack: ‘What kind of man does this?!’

Dvalishvili and his friend Saba Lazishvili were fined Dh50,000 each (~$13,400) for “disturbing public security and assaulting others.”

Yahoo Sports also confirmed that the two Georgian men were freed from jail on Friday morning after RAF CEO Chad Bronstein worked closely with local authorities. He was described as putting forth tireless efforts to ensure their freedom.

“I’m pleased to share that Merab Dvalishvili is back with us in Abu Dhabi,” Bronstein wrote in a statement, per Sport Bible.

“We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the relevant authorities in Abu Dhabi for their professionalism and support,” Bronstein added.

RELATED: Dana White to meet with Trump after ‘joke’ job offer

Merab Dvalishvili claimed Usman Nurmagomedov and friends attacked him

On Thursday, UFC President Dana White was asked about the ordeal at a press conference. He responded, “It’s absolutely ridiculous and stupid, and they’re all in jail, and that is not a place to go f*** around.”

When asked what his initial reaction was upon hearing about the fight, White said, “What a bunch of f***ing idiots.”

Dvalishvili was slated to wrestle at the RAF event in Abu Dhabi this Saturday and is expected to proceed as planned. However, Nurmagomedov’s brother, Umar, has been removed from the event and replaced with Lazishvili, who is a lifelong wrestler.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Ufc, Abu dhabi, Christian, Muslim, Dana white, Sports 

Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith appeared incensed that his teenage daughter supports socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), and he has a plan to dissuade her.

Smith made the comments on the “What Now?” podcast episode that published Thursday after host Trevor Noah asked him to defend the free-market capitalist system in the U.S.

‘I want to see what you say then. Yeah, Nyla, I’m talking about you! I can’t wait because I ain’t having it!’

Smith said that he opposes socialism based on his paying between 50 and 60 percent of his paycheck for a government that doesn’t work well. Then he said his daughter supports Mamdani.

“My daughter loves Mamdani. And I know exactly why: ’cause she ain’t pay a damn bill yet. She ain’t pay a damn bill!” he said.

Noah and co-host Eugene Khoza burst out in laughter.

“I knew you were gonna say that,” Noah responded.

“She ain’t pay a damn bill. Let me tell you, she’s about to turn 18. And when that happens, fellas, she’s going to have a job,” he continued.

“Amen!” said Khoza.

“I don’t give a damn if it’s for a month. ’Cause I want to see her face when she sees that check,” said Smith.

“And I’m going to make sure she’s working in New York. I want to see the check. You understand? When you went to work thinking that this is the money that you were earning, and then the check comes home, and more than half your s**t is missing,” he added.

“I want to see what you say then,” Smith said. “Yeah, Nyla, I’m talking about you. I can’t wait because I ain’t having it!”

The exchange was light-hearted and comical, but Smith and Noah also debated the merits of socialism as opposed to the free-market capitalist system.

Noah pushed back and claimed that all of the great things America introduced to the world were socialistic in nature. Smith defended the free-market system and excoriated socialists who claim to support the community but fail to actually help their constituents.

RELATED: Stephen A. Smith apologizes 5 years later for saying vaccine skepticism made player look ‘flat-out stupid’

Smith also expressed extreme skepticism in all politicians, claiming politicians are a major reason to oppose socialism.

“I don’t like none of your asses. I don’t believe none of y’all!” he exclaimed.

He also said that he gave up on the possibility of running for president in 2028, even though he thinks he could win, after being told he would have to be immediately pulled off the air and lose his paycheck as soon as he announced a run because of FCC rules.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Free market, Stephen a smith, Zohran mamdani, Politics, Trevor noah 

A recent string of suicides at government agencies has the White House’s attention, a recent report claims.

The cluster of deaths came just months after a series of disappearances and deaths tied to U.S. space and nuclear programs were reported.

… working in isolated environments inside secured, windowless facilities.

At the National Security Agency and United States Cyber Command, both located in Fort Meade, Maryland, at least 11 workers have died by suicide in about a year’s time.

A recent report cited public records and unnamed U.S. officials who spoke under the condition that they not be identified.

During one specific period — early June to early July — Bloomberg reports that there was a “suicide cluster,” with five employees from the NSA and Cyber Command taking their own lives.

Subsequent alleged suicides included a 21-year-old Army soldier and a 59-year-old civilian contractor working for the NSA in September. A government official, allegedly familiar with their employment, confirmed the situation, speaking anonymously because the official was not authorized to discuss the matter.

These deaths reportedly prompted White House and congressional staff to question the agency leaders behind closed doors, and seemingly to order military officials to better monitor working hours and the toll it takes on employees. Apparent details included mental health support to government employees working in intelligence and hacking, whose workloads have allegedly surged due to foreign conflicts.

RELATED: Speculation mounts over mysterious deaths and disappearances tied to US space and nuclear program

Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis/Getty Images

In a follow-up report, spokespersons for the government agencies told Bloomberg that they take a “comprehensive, integrated approach to suicide prevention” with the various armed services.

The officials said they have been working with other parts of the military to “ensure there is embedded care in our secure workspaces.”

Contributing factors to the deaths were characterized in the reports as including long, strenuous work hours that involve largely classified tasks, while working in isolated environments inside secured, windowless facilities.

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

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

In April, Blaze News reported on eight dead or missing personnel who were linked to space and nuclear activities within the United States government.

This included a contractor who was working at a national security campus, a former Air Force Research Laboratory major general, and a rocket scientist, all of whom went missing.

Among the dead were a German-born rocket scientist, a Caltech astrophysicist, and a director of Plasma Science and Fusion at MIT. The latter was assassinated.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Nsa, Cyber command, Fort meade, Tech 

A U.S. defense agency says it has accomplished what has never been done before in outer space and that it didn’t need advanced artificial intelligence to do it.

The landmark event is being called a historic first and could mean rapid expansion for the United States in (or out) of the Earth’s orbit.

‘Good old-fashioned rigorous engineering.’

Four years into its NOM4D space program, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has demonstrated an outstanding capability it says is the first of its kind.

With the help of advanced engineers from the California Institute of Technology, DARPA says it is the first agency to autonomously build a structure in space.

The inaugural moment was achieved using Caltech’s Autonomous In-Space Tensioned Reflector Assembly robotics system, which ScienceDaily described as an automated arm that assembled structural tubes and joints from storage dispensers into repeating sections that form a truss.

Even more impressive, the team at DARPA said the project was completed without the use of advanced artificial intelligence models (or astronauts) and was simply a product of “good old-fashioned rigorous engineering.”

The ASTRA builder was launched with two pre-built bays, the lab explained, with a third bay built by the system in orbit. Photos captured by one of the 11 on-board cameras showed additional composite fiber tubes and “netlike reflective material,” Caltech stated.

RELATED: Vanderbilt hackers claim a MILLION Social Security numbers stolen — as seething students beg for answers

“This is the first time that a structure has been autonomously constructed in space,” said Sergio Pellegrino, senior research scientist at Caltech’s jet propulsion laboratory. “Developing a payload of this complexity on such a short timeline was an enormous undertaking for our small team,” he added.

NOM4D program manager Andrew Detor boasted about the program’s future capabilities to scale at large, adding to Caltech’s claim that the team has demonstrated the feasibility of the concept.

“This approach that the Caltech team is taking can scale to your imagination. It can scale to very, very large things. They’ve done it in a way that is really elegant,” Detor said.

For comparison, Detor explained that current approaches had modular structures being built on Earth and sent into space over “many, many launches,” including the International Space Station that took “over 40 launches to build up its roughly 100-meter size.”

RELATED: Beware: The top AI detector is now shockingly good — even at video

NOM4D refers to the defense agency’s Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-efficient Design program, with the stated goal of manufacturing and assembling enormous structures in space.

These structures are meant to be “precise, mass-efficient” space structures that withstand “maneuvers, eclipses, damage, and thermal cycles inherent to the space environment.”

The project began in 2022 with the intent of eventually ferrying “raw materials from Earth for in-orbit manufacturing,” which has now seemingly been accomplished.

The latest demonstration served as the third phase on the project timeline, with the first being the development and design of the concept, followed by a demonstration in Earth settings.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Darpa, Caltech, Space, Tech