Maryland
Maryland astronaut named to SpaceX crew ahead of possible moon mission
NASA calls Artemis II mission ‘just the beginning’
The Artemis II crew landed safely back on Earth after a 10-day mission around the moon. NASA said it was the first moon mission “of many more.”
Jessica Watkins, who has already made NASA history, is now set for a second trip to space.
The astronaut from Gaithersburg, Maryland, was announced last week as the spacecraft commander for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission expected to launch later this year.
Here’s what to know about Watkins.
Who is Jessica Watkins?
Watkins was born in 1988 in Gaithersburg, Maryland, located about 25 miles northwest from downtown Washington DC.
It was in Maryland where she first had dreams of going to space. While attending an after-school program at Judith Resnik Elementary School in Gaithersburg as a 9-year-old, she learned the school was named after the second American woman who went to space.
“I learned that you could go into space as a career, and I was definitely hooked,” she told Stanford Magazine in 2022.
She later moved to Lafayette, Colorado, which she considers her hometown, according to NASA.
After graduating with her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, Watkins received her doctorate from UCLA in 2015.
“Jessica Watkins has been shaping the future of space exploration since her days at UCLA,” the university said.
What experience does Jessica Watkins have with NASA?
A geologist by training, Watkins was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017 after working on Mars rover science teams.
She first left earth in 2022 as the mission specialist on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission, logging 170 days in space.
It was a historic mission for Watkins, who became the first Black woman to live and work at the International Space Station.
“I think it really is just a tribute to the legacy of the Black women astronauts that have come before me, as well as to the exciting future ahead,” Watkins said during an NPR interview.
NASA said her mission duties included “maintaining the space station and contributing to science experiments that not only might improve life on Earth, but also allow researchers to learn more about the effects of long duration spaceflight on the human body.”
In addition to her spaceflight experience, Watkins was named to NASA’s Artemis team, a group of astronauts eligible for future missions to the Moon.
Her experience will now bring her back to the ISS. Watkins will join Luke Delaney, Joshua Kutryk and Sergey Teteryatinikov to replace the Crew-12 mission at the space station.
NASA said the mission is targeted for September.
A Minnesota Vikings player Khyree Jackson (left), 24, and two of his former Wise High School football teammates Isaiah Hazel (middle), 23, and Anthony Lytton, Jr., 24 (right), died after a three-car crash in Prince George’s County, Md. on July 6, 2024. (AP Images, University of Maryland, and Penn State)
Happy Saturday, Maryland!
A muggy weekend is ahead with some wet weather. High levels of heat and humidity come into play around midweek.
Weekend showers
A stationary front has made it’s way to the mid-Atlantic for this weekend. Due to the lack of movement with this front, it’ll keep cloud cover in our forecast. We’ll also be seeing a little bit of rain from this.
Showers will be off-and-on through the day. There will be many periods across the state where we see just clouds at some points of the day. While a washout isn’t expected, we could still see a few bouts of heavy rain. The atmosphere is so humid this weekend (and beyond) so that increases the likelihood of heavier rain with the stationary front nearby. The overall risk for thunderstorms is low and severe weather is not expected.
Sunday’s forecast is trending a little drier. A few spot showers are still possible. Again, it won’t be a washout of a day to close the weekend.
Highs on Saturday hover closer to 80° while Sunday warms into the low to mid-80s.
Dangerous heat incoming
Monday and Tuesday feature afternoons with near-normal temperatures closer to 90°. Those two days also bring dry conditions.
Once we get into the middle of the week, we’ll be battling very high – and dangerous – levels of heat and humidity.
Wednesday is forecast to get into the upper 90s, close to 100°. Thursday and Friday could see high temperatures that surpass 100° in a number of areas in the state. Here we are talking about *air temperatures*, which is before you factor in any humidity. With humidity included, “feels-like” temperatures or heat index values could pass 105°. Due to the combination of heat and humidity, the First Alert Weather team has issued four Possible Alert Days starting Wednesday into the Fourth of July holiday on Saturday.
It’s not just the daytime temperatures, either.
Overnight, we won’t feel much relief. Overnight lows in the mid to upper 70s – and even low 80s – will be rough for those who don’t have adequate air conditioning or another way to keep cool.
We could see the heat begin to break next weekend with a chance for storms Saturday.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Maryland Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 26, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 26 drawing
05-13-30-33-52, Mega Ball: 06
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 0-2-5
Evening: 0-3-3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 0-3-1-7
Evening: 5-3-2-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 8-8-3-5-1
Evening: 4-2-0-2-0
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 26 drawing
9 a.m.: 10
1 p.m.: 06
6 p.m.: 13
11 p.m.: 08
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Bonus Match 5 numbers from June 26 drawing
08-18-27-30-38, Bonus: 25
Check Bonus Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Keno
Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Maryland Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes above $600, winners can claim by mail or in person from the Maryland Lottery office, an Expanded Cashing Authority Program location or cashiers’ windows at Maryland casinos. Prizes over $5,000 must be claimed in person.
Claiming by Mail
Sign your winning ticket and complete a claim form. Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued ID and a copy of a document that shows proof of your Social Security number or Federal Tax ID number. Mail these to:
Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center
1800 Washington Boulevard
Suite 330
Baltimore, MD 21230
For prizes over $600, bring your signed ticket, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of your Social Security or Federal Tax ID number to Maryland Lottery headquarters, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD. Claims are by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This location handles all prize amounts, including prizes over $5,000.
Winning Tickets Worth $25,000 or Less
Maryland Lottery headquarters and select Maryland casinos can redeem winning tickets valued up to $25,000. Note that casinos cannot cash prizes over $600 for non-resident and resident aliens (tax ID beginning with “9”). You must be at least 21 years of age to enter a Maryland casino. Locations include:
- Horseshoe Casino: 1525 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD
- MGM National Harbor: 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD
- Live! Casino: 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD
- Ocean Downs Casino: 10218 Racetrack Road, Berlin, MD
- Hollywood Casino: 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, MD
- Rocky Gap Casino: 16701 Lakeview Road NE, Flintstone, MD
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Maryland Lottery.
When are the Maryland Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 Midday: 12:27 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 12:28 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.
- Pick 3, 4 and 5 Evening: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- Cash4Life: 9 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop: 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
- Bonus Match 5: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- MultiMatch: 7:56 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
- Powerball Double Play: 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Maryland editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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