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- NASA unveils $10B Moon base contract as SpaceX, Blue Origin join lunar gold rush
NASA announced Saturday that Elon Musk's SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and six other aerospace companies are eligible to compete for up to $10 billion in lunar delivery contracts as the agency advances plans to establish a permanent base on the moon.The announcement, made at the MAX POWER aerospace expo and air show at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, expands NASA's commercial lunar program, bringing together private companies to deliver scientific equipment, technology and infrastructure to the moon's south pole.The new Commercial Lunar Payload Services framework has a maximum combined value of $10 billion over 10 years, with the figure representing a ceiling for future task orders, not money already awarded to participating companies.VIRGIN GALACTIC UNVEILS NEW SPACESHIP APEIRON, TARGETS COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT RETURN IN 2027Alongside SpaceX and Blue Origin, NASA selected Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines, iSpace US, Lockheed Martin Space, Northrop Grumman Space Systems and Voyager Technologies to compete for future lunar delivery missions."We are building the Moon Base mission by mission," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement."When our astronauts return to the Moon, they will arrive with the first elements of the Moon Base already waiting for them on the surface."NASA also increased the maximum value of its existing CLPS contract from $2.6 billion to $4.2 billion to support the initial phase of its Moon base plans.JEFF BEZOS REVEALS HIS VISION FOR AMERICA'S NEXT FRONTIER — FROM AI TO THE MOONBeyond the new contracting framework, Blue Origin secured a separate $94 million base contract to deliver NASA's nuclear-powered PROMISE rover to the lunar South Pole, with an additional $140 million available through a performance-based option.The six-wheeled rover, formally named the "Polar Rover for Observation, Mapping, and In-Situ Exploration," will examine the lunar surface and subsurface, including regions believed to harbor water ice that could help support a sustained human presence.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will build the rover using spare flight components and engineering test models from its Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers, an approach the agency says will reduce development costs.'DEFUND MUSK': FORMER CLINTON CABINET OFFICIAL URGES DEMOCRATS TO TARGET SPACEX FOUNDERBlue Origin will use its Mark 1 lunar lander to deliver the rover, and NASA is targeting a late-2028 launch for an 18-month mission.The agency also awarded six transportation task orders worth approximately $1.3 billion combined to Arrow Science and Technology, Blue Origin and Impulse Space.Those missions will test technologies for moving cargo between Earth and… [TheTopNews] Read More.1 day ago - Labubu hype seemed unstoppable, now the fluffy monster mania is dying
Parent company Pop Mart's revenue has fallen as appetite for the quirky collectible monsters wanes. [TheTopNews] Read More.1 day ago - Prosecutors Charge Paraguay’s Former President With Corruption
Santiago Peña was impeached, removed from office, placed under house arrest and charged with using his office to enrich himself after a bank with close ties to his administration went under. [TheTopNews] Read More.2 days ago - A ‘Legend of Zelda’ Game Is Reborn and ’90s Nostalgia Fans Are All InNintendo’s “Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” was released in 1998. Now, its remake has some fans giddily reliving their childhoods. [TheTopNews] Read More.2 days ago
- IRS announces 2027 tax changes: What taxpayers need to knowThe IRS recently released updated tax brackets and deduction thresholds for the 2027 tax year, which will affect taxpayers next year.Each year, the IRS adjusts the thresholds used for tax brackets and the various deductions available to taxpayers to account for inflation. The changes will apply to what taxpayers owe on income earned during the 2027 tax year, which Americans will file returns for in 2028."American individuals and businesses will see increased tax benefits next tax year ranging from an increase in the standard deduction and the Child Tax Credit for families, and a boost to the amount that can be expensed by businesses," said IRS CEO Frank Bisignano.The standard deduction, claimed by the majority of taxpayers who don't itemize their returns, is set to increase to $16,600 for single taxpayers in 2027; $33,200 for married couples filing jointly and $24,925 for heads of households.TRUMP ADMIN NAMES NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ZONES TO SPUR PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN STRUGGLING COMMUNITIESAdjustments were also made to the IRS tax brackets in terms of the income thresholds that apply to a given tax rate.Here's a look at the tax brackets and rates that will apply in 2027:IRS STEPS UP FRAUD FIGHT WITH NEW APP, CEO PROMISES '100% SECURE' PLATFORMThe IRS also increased the maximum amount of the child tax credit to $2,300 in 2027, an increase of $100 from a year ago. The amount of the credit that is refundable also increased by $100 to $1,800.The annual exclusion for taxes on gifts will rise to $20,000 in 2027, up from $19,000 in the 2026 calendar year. For gifts to a spouse who is not a U.S. citizen, the limit increases to $201,000 in 2027 from $194,000 a year ago.The estate tax exclusion for the estates of decedents who die in 2027 is a basic exclusion of $15,480,000, which is up from a total of $15 million in 2026.IRS RAISES BUSINESS MILEAGE DEDUCTION RATE AMID FUEL PRICE SURGEQualifying taxpayers who have three or more qualifying children and can claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) will see the maximum credit rise to $8,496 in 2027 – up from $8,231 a year ago.Credits for qualified adoption expenses are rising to $18,250 in 2027 from $17,670 last year. The amount of the credit that may be refundable in 2027 is $5,280. [TheTopNews] Read More.2 days ago
- Millions of ladders recalled nationwide after numerous reports of head injuries,...The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is recalling more than 3.6 million Little Giant ladders after receiving dozens of reports of injuries, including head trauma and skull fractures.The ladders, according to the recall, have a mechanism called "Rapid Locks" that are designed to be inserted into the ladders' rungs to help adjust the height.According to a statement from Little Giant, the Rapid Locks can fail to become fully engaged, causing the ladders to retract and posing a potential fall hazard to consumers.The company has received 25 reports of the ladders retracting, 19 of which resulted in injury.NEARLY 6 MILLION COFFEE MAKERS SOLD AT MAJOR RETAILERS RECALLED OVER BURN RISKThose incidents resulted in three reports of head injuries which, according to the recall, include traumatic brain injury, skull fractures, concussions, vision loss, hearing loss and cognitive impairment.The company has also received 16 reports of other injuries such as joint or bone fractures, lacerations and bruising.Overall, the company has received 39 reports of the Rapid Locks not working properly.WALMART RECALLS 4.4 MILLION GRILL BRUSHES OVER SERIOUS INJURY RISKThe recall involves 11 makes of Little Giant's ladders and over 130 models ranging from $100 to $1,000.Little Giant is adding supplemental warning labels to affected ladders, instructing users to visually verify that all Rapid Locks are fully engaged before climbing."You should stop using your ladder until you have received and applied the warning labels included in the repair kit according to the enclosed instructions, which contain further guidance on safely operating the Rapid Locks and maintaining the Rapid Locks with lubrication," Little Giant said in a statement announcing the recall.The company is also sending repair kits to all known users with Rapid Locks malfunctions."The repair kit contains instructions, also accessible via the QR code on the ladder, for safely operating the Rapid Locks and maintaining the Rapid Locks with lubrication," the company added.CPSC advised consumers to maintain the Little Giant ladders' Rapid Locks with lubrication and to evaluate their ladders on a regular basis."If a lock does not function properly after this evaluation, the company will offer the choice of a replacement ladder of the same or equivalent model or a refund ranging from a depreciated value determined by date of purchase up to full purchase price for ladders purchased within the past 12 months," CPSC said in the recall.CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GOFOX Business contacted Little Giant for… [TheTopNews] Read More.2 days ago
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