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The U.S. Space Force on Friday announced the first two task orders under a revamped five-year program that awards national security missions. Both went to SpaceX.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX, longtime national security provider United Launch Alliance and newcomer Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, were all eligible to compete for the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 task orders, having been chosen in June out of seven bids to provide launch services for the Department of Defense.

Any one of the providers are allowed to compete for task orders once opened up by the Space Force as long as they have made a successful orbital launch prior to the proposal’s due date.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 doled out mission orders to just SpaceX and ULA. Phase 3’s approach is to break up contracts into two lanes.

Lane 1 is actually supposed to be the new method that opens up NSSL missions to newer launch providers, with the likes of Firefly Aerospace, Rocket Lab and Relativity Space potentially entering the fray someday, but for now, SpaceX landed the first two contracts worth more than $733.5 million that will require nine launches. read more

By Taryn Phaneuf, NerdWallet

Everywhere you turn, another ad is sharing the good news of a great deal. There’s only one catch: You’ve got to download their app to get it.

The trend in app-based rewards and offers is driven by many things at once. A prolonged period of high inflation made everything feel expensive to consumers. So they started making trades — eating in, buying store brands or waiting to make big purchases, for example. That set off alarm bells for companies as they saw sales slumping so much that price hikes couldn’t make up for it.

Meanwhile, in the background, technology has improved, making it easy and convenient to place an order or pay with a phone. And companies have realized their app-wielding customers are some of their best.

So how do companies bring inflation-weary shoppers and diners back or entice them to buy more often? They offer deals in the form of value meals, coupons and rewards. And they put the deals on their apps.

Price-conscious shoppers want a deal

Retailers know the mental math customers are doing right now when they decide where to spend their money. That’s why they’re clamoring to offer the best and most relevant deals to get people through their doors. In-app deals and rewards aren’t new, but they’ve become the perfect place to tempt customers with tailored offers using notifications, location-tracking information, order history or other data. read more

By ADRIANA MORGA

NEW YORK (AP) — October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which means it’s the perfect time to learn how to protect yourself from scams.

“Scams have become so sophisticated now. Phishing emails, texts, spoofing caller ID, all of this technology gives scammers that edge,” said Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center.

As scammers find new ways to steal money and personal information, consumers should be more vigilant about who they trust, especially online. A quick way to remember what to do when you think you’re getting scammed is to think about the three S’s, said Alissa Abdullah, also known as Dr. Jay, Mastercard’s deputy chief security officer

“Stay suspicious, stop for a second (and think about it) and stay protected,” she said.

Whether it’s romance scams or job scams, impersonators are looking for ways to trick you into giving them money or sharing your personal information. Here’s what to know:

Know scammers’ tactics

Three common tactics used by scammers are based on fear, urgency and money, said security expert Petros Efstathopoulos. Here’s how they work: read more

SeaWorld Orlando is introducing Coasters After Dark — Christmas Edition, a limited-capacity, after-hours event in a holiday setting.

The park will feature seven of its roller coasters surrounded by Christmas lighting on six nights starting Nov. 8.  Some retail, food and beverages also will be open, including Flamecraft Bar, South Pole Sips, Dockside Pizza, Glacier Bar and a hot-chocolate hut.

Operating thrill rides will include Ice Breaker, Journey to Atlantis, Kraken, Mako, Manta, Pipeline and Penguin Trek, which debuted in July.  That lineup would only exclude one SeaWorld coaster — Super Grover’s Box Car Derby in Sesame Street Land — from the event.  The park touts itself as the “coaster capital of Orlando.”

On Nov. 8, 9 and 15, the hours for Coasters After Dark will be 8 p.m.-11 p.m. One Nov. 22, Dec. 6 and 13, the event will run from 9 p.m. to midnight.  After Dark tickets allow entry to the park one hour early, while day guests are still there, to have additional SeaWorld experiences. read more

By TOM KRISHER, AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Had she wanted to, Michelle Chumley could have afforded a pricey new SUV loaded with options. But when it came time to replace her Chevrolet Blazer SUV, for which she’d paid about $40,000 three years ago, Chumley chose something smaller. And less costly.

With her purchase of a Chevrolet Trax compact SUV in June, Chumley joined a rising number of buyers who have made vehicles in the below-average $20,000-to-$30,000 range the fastest-growing segment of the nation’s new-auto market.

“I just don’t need that big vehicle and to be paying all of that gas money,” said Chumley, a 56-year-old nurse who lives outside Oxford, Ohio, near Cincinnati.

Across the industry, auto analysts say, an “affordability shift” is taking root. The trend is being led by people who feel they can no longer afford a new vehicle that would cost them roughly today’s average selling price of more than $47,000 — a jump of more than 20% from the pre-pandemic average. read more