January 1, 2026

/ 4:45 p.m. CT (2245 GMT)

Rockets' red glare

: Once again, rockets have given "proof through the night" that the United States knows how to celebrate its existence. On New Year's Eve, Freedom 250 began a six-night special illumination of the Washington Monument, including full-size projections of NASA's Saturn V and Space Launch System (SLS) moon boosters. The towering images helped to kick off a full year of events marking the United States' 250-year anniversary.