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A pair of Mars-bound satellites are back at Kennedy Space Center a year after NASA bowed out of its chance to be part of the debut launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn.

The satellites for the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission, constructed by Rocket Lab, look to fly on what would be New Glenn’s second ever mission.

The two small satellites, dubbed Blue and Gold, were built by Rocket Lab in California for NASA and the University of California Berkeley’s Space Science Laboratory.

“It’s been a long road, but we are so excited to be launching Blue & Gold on their mission to understand the Martian space weather environment.” said Rob Lillis, the mission’s principal investigator and associate director for planetary science at the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory. “Through the usual ups and downs, Rocket Lab has been right alongside NASA and UC Berkeley, supporting us every step of the way on this interplanetary journey.”

The mission’s purpose is to orbit Mars and observe plasma and magnetic fields around the planet to help understand what processes strip atoms from Mars’ magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. That could help explain why Mars’ atmosphere is so thin, and how it may have evolved over time. read more

For the first time in 2025, the Fed has cut rates. That means two things for consumers: Borrowing will get cheaper, but savings returns won’t be as high. It will take time for either effect to take hold.

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  Trump’s unfounded claims heap new stress on household brand name Tylenol

On Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cut the federal funds rate by 25 basis points, as expected, bringing the federal funds rate range to 4.00%-4.25%. The Fed last cut rates at its December 2024 meeting, following cuts at its two previous meetings. Throughout 2025, the federal funds rate has stood at 4.25%-4.50%.

Why cut rates now?

Fed Chair Jerome Powell called the trim a “risk-management cut,” in a press conference following the decision. When asked if a cut should have come sooner, Powell said, “We have to live life looking through the windshield rather than the rear-view mirror.” read more

By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON and AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX, Associated Press

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — As President Donald Trump’s administration imposes new restrictions on the legal immigration system, U.S. adults are more likely than they were a year ago to think these immigrants benefit the country, according to a new poll.

The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that Americans are more likely than they were in March 2024 to say it’s a “major benefit” that people who come to the U.S. legally contribute to economic growth and help American companies get the expertise of skilled workers. The survey also shows that Americans are less likely than they were in January to say the number of legal immigrants to the U.S. should be reduced. Slightly fewer than half of Americans say the number should remain the same, a similar percentage from earlier this year.

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By TOM MURPHY and MICHELLE CHAPMAN, Associated Press

President Donald Trump blasted Tylenol this week, promoting unproven links between the pain reliever and autism and pushing the well-established treatment into another national image crisis.

“Don’t take Tylenol,” Trump instructed pregnant women around a dozen times during a White House news conference. He also urged mothers not to give infants the drug, known by the generic name acetaminophen in the U.S. or paracetamol in other countries.

The attack on Tylenol by the U.S. president was unprecedented but not exactly new territory for one of the world’s most common pain relievers. Tylenol already has faced dozens of lawsuits regarding the autism claim, and it dealt with cyanide poisoning s in the 1980s that lead to a product recall.

Some studies have raised the possibility that taking the over-the-counter painkiller in pregnancy might be associated with a risk of autism — but many others haven’t found a connection.

The attack from Trump could invite more litigation and lead customers to switch to alternatives. But the maker of Tylenol, Kenvue Inc., is refuting Trump’s challenge, and analysts think loyalty to a product that has been on the market since the 1950s may ultimately limit damage. read more

In a landmark deal that bids to resolve a long-running dispute, the Orange County School Board and Town of Eatonville have agreed to sell the Hungerford property to Dr. Phillips Charities as part of an ambitious effort to revitalize the historic enclave.

The property spans 117 acres across two parcels and serves as a gateway into the town that was founded during Reconstruction by freed slaves and is recognized as the first self-governing, all-Black municipality in the United States.

The agreement, shared exclusively with GrowthSpotter, is scheduled for a vote during the Sep. 30 school board meeting. It has the full support of Eatonville Mayor Angie Gardner, who said the pivotal land transfer would safeguard the community from predatory development and set the stage for a resident-driven vision of inclusive, sustainable growth with affordable housing, educational and cultural opportunities and local businesses that honors the town’s deep cultural legacy.

Ken Robinson, President and CEO of Dr. Phillips Charities, said the organization is not seeking to profit from the transaction. He thanked the town and school leaders for trusting the charity to serve as stewards of the historic property. read more