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Integrated Testing on Horizon for Artemis II Launch Preparations

✇Artemis – NASA
By:Elyna Niles-Carnes
29 May 2025 at 10:45
Graphic shows 10 integrated tests that must happen for Artemis II SLS Rocket and Orion Spacecraft Testing
NASA

Teams responsible for preparing and launching Artemis II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are set to begin a series of integrated tests to get ready for the mission. With the upper stage of the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) integrated with other elements of the rocket, engineers are set to start the tests to confirm rocket and ground systems are working and communicating as planned.

While similar to the integrated testing campaign conducted for NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I test flight, engineers have added tests ahead of Artemis II to prepare for NASA’s first crewed flight under the Artemis campaign – an approximately 10-day journey by four astronauts around the Moon and back. The mission is another step toward missions on the lunar surface and helping the agency prepare for future astronaut missions to Mars.

Interface Verification Testing

Verifies the functionality and interoperability of interfaces across elements and systems. Teams will conduct this test from the firing room in the Launch Control Center and perform health and status checks of various systems and interfaces between the SLS core stage, the solid rocket boosters, and the ground systems. It will ensure different systems, including core stage engines and booster thrust control, work as planned. Teams also will perform the same series of tests with the interim cryogenic propulsion stage and Orion before conducting a final interface test with all segments.

Program Specific Engineering Test

Teams will conduct separate engineering tests for the core stage, rocket boosters, and upper stage following the interface verification tests for each part of the rocket.

End-to-End Communications Testing

Integrated test of SLS core and upper stages, and Orion command and telemetry radio frequencies with mission control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to demonstrate flight controllers’ ability to communicate with the ground systems and infrastructure. This test uses a radio frequency antenna in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), another near the launch pad that will cover the first few minutes of launch, as well as a radio frequency that use the Tracking Data Relay Satellite and the Deep Space Network. Teams will do two versions of this test – one with the ground equipment communicating with a radio and telemetry station for checkouts, and one with all the hardware and equipment communicating with communications infrastructure like it will on launch day.

Countdown Demonstration Test

Teams will conduct a launch day demonstration with the Artemis II astronauts to test launch countdown procedures and make any final necessary adjustments ahead of launch. This test will be divided into two parts. The first will be conducted while SLS and Orion are in the VAB and include the Artemis II crew departing their crew quarters after suiting up at the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building and driving to the VAB where they will enter Orion like they will on launch day and practice getting strapped in. Part two will be completed once the rocket is at the launch pad and will allow the astronauts and Artemis launch team to practice how to use the emergency egress system, which would be used in the event of an unlikely emergency at the launch pad during launch countdown.

Flight Termination System End-to-End Test

Test to ensure the rocket’s flight termination system can be activated in the event of an emergency. For public safety, all rockets are required to have a flight termination system. This test will be divided into two parts inside the VAB. The first will take place ahead of Orion getting stacked atop SLS and the second will occur before the rocket and spacecraft roll out to the launch pad.

Wet Dress Rehearsal

Teams will practice loading cryogenic liquid propellant inside SLS once it’s at the launch pad and run through the launch countdown sequences just prior to engine ignition. The rehearsal will run the Artemis II launch team through operations to load liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the rocket’s tanks, conduct a full launch countdown, demonstrate the ability to recycle the countdown clock, and also drain the tanks to give them an opportunity to practice the timelines and procedures they will use for launch.

Teams will load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic, or super cold, propellants into the rocket at the launch pad on the mobile launcher according to the detailed timeline they will use on the actual launch day. They will practice every phase of the countdown, including weather briefings, pre-planned holds in the countdown, conditioning and replenishing the propellants as needed, and validation checks. The Artemis II crew will not participate in the rehearsal.

NASA’s Artemis III Core Stage Receives Thermal Protection Coating

✇Artemis – NASA
By:Lee Mohon
13 May 2025 at 15:06
Teams at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans move a liquid hydrogen tank for the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket into the factory’s final assembly area on April 22, 2025. The propellant tank is one of five major elements that make up the 212-foot-tall rocket stage.
Teams at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans move a liquid hydrogen tank for the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket into the factory’s final assembly area on April 22, 2025. The propellant tank is one of five major elements that make up the 212-foot-tall rocket stage.
NASA/Steven Seipel

NASA completed another step to ready its SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for the Artemis III mission as crews at the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans recently applied a thermal protection system to the core stage’s liquid hydrogen tank.

Building on the crewed Artemis II flight test, Artemis III will add new capabilities with the human landing system and advanced spacesuits to send the first astronauts to explore the lunar South Pole region and prepare humanity to go to Mars. Thermal protection systems are a cornerstone of successful spaceflight endeavors, safeguarding human life, and enabling the launch and controlled return of spacecraft.

The tank is the largest piece of SLS flight hardware insulated at Michoud. The hardware requires thermal protection due to the extreme temperatures during launch and ascent to space – and to keep the liquid hydrogen at minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit on the pad prior to launch.

“The thermal protection system protects the SLS rocket from the heat of launch while also keeping the thousands of gallons of liquid propellant within the core stage’s tanks cold enough. Without the protection, the propellant would boil off too rapidly to replenish before launch,” said Jay Bourgeois, thermal protection system, test, and integration lead at NASA Michoud. “Thermal protection systems are crucial in protecting all the structural components of SLS during launch and flight.”

In February, Michoud crews with NASA and Boeing, the SLS core stage prime contractor, completed the thermal protection system on the external structure of the rocket’s liquid hydrogen propellant fuel tank, using a robotic tool in what is now the largest single application in spaceflight history. The robotically controlled operation coated the tank with spray-on foam insulation, distributing 107 feet of the foam to the tank in 102 minutes. When the foam is applied to the core stage, it gives the rocket a canary yellow color. The Sun’s ultraviolet rays naturally “tan” the thermal protection, giving the SLS core stage its signature orange color, like the space shuttle external tank.

Having recently completed application of the thermal protection system, teams will now continue outfitting the 130-foot-tall liquid hydrogen tank with critical systems to ready it for its designated Artemis III mission. The core stage of SLS is the largest ever built by length and volume, and was manufactured at Michoud using state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. (NASA/Steven Seipel)

While it might sound like a task similar to applying paint to a house or spraying insulation in an attic, it is a much more complex process. The flexible polyurethane foam had to withstand harsh conditions for application and testing. Additionally, there was a new challenge: spraying the stage horizontally, something never done previously during large foam applications on space shuttle external tanks at Michoud. All large components of space shuttle tanks were in a vertical position when sprayed with automated processes.

Overall, the rocket’s core stage is 212 feet with a diameter of 27.6 feet, the same diameter as the space shuttle’s external tank. The liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks feed four RS-25 engines for approximately 500 seconds before SLS reaches low Earth orbit and the core stage separates from the upper stage and NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

“Even though it only takes 102 minutes to apply the spray, a lot of careful preparation and planning is put into this process before the actual application of the foam,” said Boeing’s Brian Jeansonne, the integrated product team senior leader for the thermal protection system at NASA Michoud. “There are better process controls in place than we’ve ever had before, and there are specialized production technicians who must have certifications to operate the system. It’s quite an accomplishment and a lot of pride in knowing that we’ve completed this step of the build process.”

The core stage of SLS is the largest NASA has ever built by length and volume, and it was manufactured at Michoud using state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. Michoud is a unique, advanced manufacturing facility where the agency has built spacecraft components for decades, including the space shuttle’s external tanks and Saturn V rockets for the Apollo program.

Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

For more information on the Artemis Campaign, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/artemis/

News Media Contact

Jonathan Deal
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 
256-544-0034 
jonathan.e.deal@nasa.gov

💾

In February, Michoud crews with NASA and Boeing, the SLS core stage prime contractor, completed the thermal protection system on the external structure of th...

NASA Goes Live on Twitch: Design Artemis II Moon Mascot

✇Artemis – NASA
By:Jessica Taveau
12 May 2025 at 12:21
Four Artemis II astronauts in their blue flight suits stand smiling in front of a cone-shaped black-and-silver Orion spacecraft.
Artemis II crew members, shown inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, stand in front of their Orion crew module on Aug. 8, 2023. Pictured from left are CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch.
Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA will host a live Twitch event to highlight the ongoing Moon Mascot Challenge, which invites the public to design a zero gravity indicator for the agency’s Artemis II crewed test flight around the Moon. Viewers will have the opportunity to provide real-time input to an artist who will create an example of a zero gravity indicator during the livestream. 

Zero gravity indicators are small, plush items carried aboard spacecraft to provide a visual indication of when the crew reaches space.

The event will begin at 3 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 13, on the agency’s official Twitch channel:

https://www.twitch.tv/nasa

The contest invites global creators of all ages to submit design ideas for a zero gravity indicator that will fly aboard the agency’s Artemis II test flight, the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign.

Up to 25 finalists, including entries from a K-12 student division, will be selected. The Artemis II crew will choose one design that NASA’s Thermal Blanket Lab will fabricate to fly alongside the crew in the Orion spacecraft.

During this Twitch event, NASA experts will discuss the Moon Mascot Challenge while the artist incorporates live audience feedback into a sample design. Although the design example will not be eligible for the contest, it will demonstrate how challenge participants can develop their own zero gravity indicator designs. The example will be shared on the @NASAArtemis social media accounts following the Twitch event.

The Artemis II test flight will take NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back. The mission is another step toward missions on the lunar surface to help the agency prepare for future human missions to Mars.

To learn more about NASA’s missions, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov

-end-

Rachel Kraft
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov

NASA Progresses Toward Crewed Moon Mission with Spacecraft, Rocket Milestones

✇Artemis – NASA
By:Rachel H. Kraft
6 May 2025 at 13:27
Technicians move the Orion spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis II test flight out of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to the Multi-Payload Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
NASA/Kim Shiflett

Engineers, technicians, mission planners, and the four astronauts set to fly around the Moon next year on Artemis II, NASA’s first crewed Artemis mission, are rapidly progressing toward launch.

At the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, teams are working around the clock to move into integration and final testing of all SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft elements. Recently they completed two key milestones – connecting the SLS upper stage with the rest of the assembled rocket and moving Orion from its assembly facility to be fueled for flight.

“We’re extremely focused on preparing for Artemis II, and the mission is nearly here,” said Lakiesha Hawkins, assistant deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Moon to Mars Program, who also will chair the mission management team during Artemis II. “This crewed test flight, which will send four humans around the Moon, will inform our future missions to the Moon and Mars.”

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program begin integrating the interim cryogenic propulsion stage to the SLS (Space Launch System) launch vehicle stage adapter on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA/Isaac Watson

On May 1, technicians successfully attached the interim cryogenic propulsion stage to the SLS rocket elements already poised atop mobile launcher 1, including its twin solid rocket boosters and core stage, inside the spaceport’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). This portion of the rocket produces 24,750 pounds of thrust for Orion after the rest of the rocket has completed its job. Teams soon will move into a series of integrated tests to ensure all the rocket’s elements are communicating with each other and the Launch Control Center as expected. The tests include verifying interfaces and ensuring SLS systems work properly with the ground systems.

Meanwhile, on May 3, Orion left its metaphorical nest, the Neil Armstrong Operations & Checkout Facility at Kennedy, where it was assembled and underwent initial testing. There the crew module was outfitted with thousands of parts including critical life support systems for flight and integrated with the service module and crew module adapter. Its next stop on the road to the launch pad is the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, where it will be carefully fueled with propellants, high pressure gases, coolant, and other fluids the spacecraft and its crew need to maneuver in space and carry out the mission.

After fueling is complete, the four astronauts flying on the mission around the Moon and back over the course of approximately 10 days, will board the spacecraft in their Orion Crew Survival System spacesuits to test all the equipment interfaces they will need to operate during the mission. This will mark the first time NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will board their actual spacecraft while wearing their spacesuits. After the crewed testing is complete, technicians will move Orion to Kennedy’s Launch Abort System Facility, where the critical escape system will be added. From there, Orion will move to the VAB to be integrated with the fully assembled rocket.

NASA also announced its second agreement with an international space agency to fly a CubeSat on the mission. The collaborations provide opportunities for other countries to work alongside NASA to integrate and fly technology and experiments as part of the agency’s Artemis campaign.

While engineers at Kennedy integrate and test hardware with their eyes on final preparations for the mission, teams responsible for launching and flying the mission have been busy preparing for a variety of scenarios they could face.

The launch team at Kennedy has completed more than 30 simulations across cryogenic propellant loading and terminal countdown scenarios. The crew has been taking part in simulations for mission scenarios, including with teams in mission control. In April, the crew and the flight control team at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston simulated liftoff through a planned manual piloting test together for the first time. The crew also recently conducted long-duration fit checks for their spacesuits and seats, practicing several operations while under various suit pressures.

NASA astronaut Christina Koch participates in a fit check April 18, 2025, in the spacesuit she will wear during Artemis II.
NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Teams are heading into a busy summer of mission preparations. While hardware checkouts and integration continue, in coming months the crew, flight controllers, and launch controllers will begin practicing their roles in the mission together as part of integrated simulations. In May, the crew will begin participating pre-launch operations and training for emergency scenarios during launch operations at Kennedy and observe a simulation by the launch control team of the terminal countdown portion of launch. In June, recovery teams will rehearse procedures they would use in the case of a pad or ascent abort off the coast of Florida, with launch and flight control teams supporting. The mission management team, responsible for reviewing mission status and risk assessments for issues that arise and making decisions about them, also will begin practicing their roles in simulations. Later this summer, the Orion stage adapter will arrive at the VAB from NASA’s Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and stacked on top of the rocket.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (foreground) and Victor Glover participate in a simulation of their Artemis II entry profile on March 13, 2025.
NASA/Bill Stafford

Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

Trump's 'Make America Healthy Again' commission to target autism, chronic diseases

✇Latest Political News on Fox News
13 February 2025 at 11:59

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission, which will be led by newly confirmed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Fox News Digital exclusively learned. 

The commission will be chaired by Kennedy and will be "tasked with investigating and addressing the root causes of America’s escalating health crisis, with an initial focus on childhood chronic diseases," the White House explained to Fox News Digital.

Kennedy was confirmed as the nation's leader of the U.S. Health and Human Services on Thursday and was expected to be sworn in later in the afternoon. His commission will work to "restore trust in medical and scientific institutions and hold public hearings, meetings, roundtables" to receive input from health leaders. 

The commission, Fox Digital learned, will focus on four policy directives to reverse chronic disease, including providing Americans transparency on health data to "avoid conflicts of interest in all federally funded health research;" prioritizing "gold-standard research on why Americans are getting sick" in all federally-funded health research; working with farmers to ensure food is healthy, as well as affordable; and expanding health coverage and treatment options "for beneficial lifestyle changes and disease prevention."

The commission initially will focus on childhood chronic diseases, such as autism and fatty liver disease, and also investigate adult chronic diseases, such as asthma and the U.S. average life expectancy compared to other nations. 

RFK JR. VOWS HE WON'T TAKE CHEESEBURGERS AWAY, JUST HIGHLIGHT HEALTH ISSUES: 'MY BOSS LOVES' THEM

Within 100 days of the commission's founding, it is expected to publish "an assessment that summarizes what is known and what questions remain regarding the childhood chronic disease crisis, and include international comparisons." Within 180 days, it is expected to "produce a strategy, based on the findings of the assessment, to improve the health of America’s children," Fox Digital learned. 

SENATE CONFIRMS ROBERT F KENNEDY JR. TO SERVE AS TRUMP'S HEALTH SECRETARY

Kennedy and Trump vowed on the campaign trail to "Make America Healthy Again," including directing their focus on autism among youths in recent years. The commission will investigate chronic conditions for both adults and children, including those related to autism, which the White House said affects one in 36 children.

TRUMP HEALTH SECRETARY NOMINEE RFK JR. SURVIVES HEATED HEARINGS

Trump, in recent months, has cited autism stats while previewing his second administration, balking at the number of children currently diagnosed compared to just 25 years ago. 

"When you look at, like, autism from 25 years ago, and you look at it now, something's going on," Trump said in December ahead of his inauguration. "Think of this: 25 years ago, autism, 1 in 10,000 children. Today it's 1 in 36 children. Is something wrong? I think so, and Robert and I, we're going to figure it out." 

Trump also vowed while on the campaign trail in June that he would "establish a special Presidential Commission of independent minds who are not bought and paid for by Big Pharma, and I will charge them with investigating what is causing the decades-long increase in chronic illnesses." 

TRUMP INNER CIRCLE SHARES MCDONALD’S MEAL AS DONALD JR. JOKES 'MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN STARTS TOMORROW’

The Republican-controlled Senate voted 52–48 on Thursday to confirm Kennedy. His confirmation hearings before the Senate in late January included a few outbursts from protesters, as well as Democrats grilling him over his vaccine stances. 

Kennedy, who ran for president as a Democrat in the 2024 cycle before ultimately dropping out and endorsing Trump, clarified to the Senate that he is not "anti-vaccine." 

"I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish. And nobody called me anti-fish. And I believe that… that vaccines play a critical role in healthcare. All of my kids are vaccinated. I've read many books on vaccines. My first book in 2014, a first line of it is ‘I am not anti-vaccine’ and last line is ‘I am not anti-vaccine.’ Nor am I the enemy of food producers. American farms are the bedrock of our culture, of our politics, of our national security," Kennedy said during his hearing before the Senate Finance Committee in January. 

Trump amps up the pressure on CBS with massive discovery demand as ’60 Minutes’ lawsuit moves forward

✇Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
13 February 2025 at 17:12

FIRST ON FOX -- President Donald Trump’s legal team continued to dial up the pressure on CBS and parent company Paramount Global on Thursday with a massive discovery demand for 107 different forms of communications. 

Trump is seeking $20 billion in a lawsuit against CBS, alleging election interference over its handling of a "60 Minutes" interview. The president has accused CBS of aiding his Democrat rival Vice President Kamala Harris through deceptive editing one month before they faced off in the presidential election. The saga began when Harris was widely mocked for a "word salad" answer she gave to "60 Minutes" correspondent Bill Whitaker during a preview of the interview on "Face the Nation," as CBS aired a more coherent answer to the same question during a primetime special. 

In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Trump’s legal team has requested "all documents in CBS Interactive’s possession, custody, or control, wherever located, including documents in the possession of its representatives, attorneys, or other persons directly or indirectly retained by CBS Interactive, or anyone else acting on its behalf or otherwise subject to its control" pertaining to the interview. 

FCC CHAIR CALLS CBS NEWS' CONDUCT ‘HARD TO EXPLAIN’ FOLLOWING RELEASE OF KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

The demand includes all communications between CBS and the FCC, The Biden administration, the Harris campaign and the DNC from September 22, 0224 through February 11, 2025. Trump’s legal team also asked for all communications about the interview involving "60 Minutes" executive editor Tanya Simon’s, executive producer Bill Owens, "Face the Nation" anchor Margaret Brennan or Whitaker, along with "any documents containing communications about interviewing or potentially interviewing President Trump for the Election Special." 

Trump’s legal team has demanded "any documents containing communications" about the unedited exchange between CBS staffers and the Biden administration, Harris campaign and the DNC. 

The 27-page list of discovery demands also asks for all internal communications "60 Minutes" honchos had with editors, journalists and correspondents during the controversy, along with any communications with the Harris campaign. 

TRUMP'S LAWSUIT AGAINST CBS EXPANDS AFTER RELEASE OF '60 MINUTES' TRANSCRIPT, ADDS PARAMOUNT AS DEFENDANT

Any communications pertaining to the lawsuit between CBS and Paramount employees have also been requested, along with any communications about advertising or commercials during the programs that aired the Harris interview.

Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, is also named and Trump’s legal team wants to see her interactions with "60 Minutes" employees, too. 

Critics accused CBS News of editing Harris' "word salad" answer to shield the former vice president from further backlash. The discovery request comes after Trump secured a legal victory earlier this week when a judge deemed CBS and Paramount’s motion to dismiss "moot."

CBS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

CBS STAFFERS UPSET OVER ‘60 MINUTES’ DRAMA, ADMIT KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW EDITS WERE AN ‘UNFORCED ERROR’

New FCC Chair Brendan Carr ordered CBS News to hand over the unedited transcript as part of its investigation into whether the network violated the FCC's "news distortion" policy after a complaint was filed. CBS had refused to release the unedited transcript until the FCC got involved. 

Last week, Trump’s legal team led by attorneys Ed Paltzik and Dan Epstein amended the original lawsuit after the release of the unedited transcript and raw footage of its controversial "60 Minutes" interview. The lawsuit added CBS News' parent company, Paramount Global, as a defendant, citing how the "60 Minutes" election special was platformed on its Paramount+ streaming service. The lawsuit added Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, as a plaintiff and increased the damages claim to $20 billion.

CBS parent company Paramount Global is reportedly considering settling the suit ahead of a planned merger with Skydance Media in hopes of preventing potential retribution by Trump's FCC, which has the authority to halt the multibillion-dollar transaction. Redstone is reportedly in favor of settling with the president. 

The case against CBS and Paramount Global is one of the many legal fronts, criminal and civil, being coordinated by Trump’s Senior Counsel Boris Epshteyn.

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report. 

Independent voters agree with Trump on transgender policies, focus group shows

✇Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
13 February 2025 at 17:00

Republican and Independent voters in a Fox News Digital focus group reacted positively to President Donald Trump's executive actions targeting transgender ideology in America's sports and other institutions.

The focus group of 156 voters across the political aisle watched a video clip of the president signing his executive order, "Keeping men out of women's sports," on February 5.

Trump said, "Actions were taken today are the latest in a sweeping effort to reclaim our culture and our laws from the radical left crusade against biological reality."

"On day one, I made it official, and I'm making it official policy of the United States government that there is, you know, two genders. We have two genders. What might they be? Man and woman, Right? Male and female. Male and female. Can't think of too many others, but it's pretty amazing."

NEW POLL REVEALS WHICH TRUMP POLICIES AMERICANS LOVE AND HATE

"I rescinded federal funds too, and this is so important, to any program that promotes transgender ideology using taxpayer dollars. We're not going to do it. We're not going to do it. And last week I effectively banned the chemical castration and surgical mutilation of minor children."

After Trump referred to two genders and his action to strip federal funding for transgender surgeries, Democratic voters' approval remained steady, but Republican and Independent voters' approval steadily climbed, according to the Fox News Dial.

President of Maslansky + Partners Lee Carter, who conducted the focus group for Fox News Digital, remarked, "Even Democrats mostly agree!"

"For anyone who is hysterical and thinks this resonates because people are transphobic – that is not it at all," she added.

NEW POLL SHOWS WHAT AMERICANS THINK OF TRUMP'S RECORD-SETTING FIRST 3 WEEKS

"People believe a few things: 1. Children need to be children. 2. If you are too young to have a beer or get a tattoo you are too young to make this decision. 3. Common Sense needs to prevail. 4. Our tax money shouldn’t fund it," Carter continued.

One focus group member said, "Finally, something that makes sense. Taking away government money for things we shouldn't be involved in was one of the best things Trump has ever done."

The group also reacted to a video of Trump discussing his initial executive orders challenging diversity, equity and inclusion ("DEI") and gender ideology in American institutions during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 23. 

"With the recent yet somewhat unexpected great Supreme Court decision just made, America will once again become a merit-based country," Trump said. "You have to hear that word merit-based country."

 CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWS

"And I've made it official, an official policy of the United States that there are only two genders, male and female, and we will have no men participating in women's sports and transgender operations, which, became the rage will occur very rarely. Finally, as we restore common sense in America, we're moving quickly to bring back strength and peace and stability abroad," he continued.

Republican and Independent voters' approval shot up when Trump brought up making America once again a "merit-based country." After he declared a ban on male athletes in women's sports and transgender medical operations, both groups' approval steadily increased.

Democratic voters' approval remained level, dipping slightly during his remarks about gender ideology, according to a Fox News Dial.

Carter found the groups' reaction "fascinating."

"Look at the strength of reactions to ‘merit-based’ and ‘common sense’," she remarked.

One focus group member said, "He may be a rude dude, but I love his thoughts and how much common sense he is making! Love this!"

A total of 156 voters participated in the Fox News Digital focus group. Seventy-five Democratic voters participated, along with 49 Republican voters and 32 Independent voters.

Trump has signed 63 executive orders since his inauguration, according to a count from Fox News, which far surpasses the rate of any presidential predecessors during their first weeks in office.

According to a Marquette Law School Poll national survey released on Wednesday, Trump's most popular executive action with Americans is his order having the federal government recognize only two sexes — male and female. 

Sixty-three percent of adults nationwide supported the move, with just 37% opposed, the survey indicates.

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

New mpox strain confirmed in US state for first time

✇Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
13 February 2025 at 15:28

The New York State Department of Health issued a health advisory Wednesday about the emergence of a new strain of mpox (formerly monkeypox).

The first case of mpox clade Ib in New York State was confirmed in a symptomatic individual who had recently traveled from Africa.

The present risk to the public remains low, the department noted, and there are no additional known community cases of this strain in New York State currently.

IS MPOX THE NEXT COVID? INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERTS ADDRESS PANDEMIC POTENTIAL

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald shared that the infected individual is under the care of a physician and isolated "until the full resolution of symptoms."

"There is no known local transmission of mpox clade Ib in the community where the individual lives or anywhere within New York State," he said in a statement.

McDonald added that the JYNNEOS vaccine, which is a two-dose preventative vaccine series for mpox, is "expected to be effective" against this new strain.

"[It is] available for individuals at risk with the standing order I signed last year," he noted. "There is no immediate risk to the general public."

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

The health department added in its advisory that individuals should inquire with their local pharmacy or healthcare provider about vaccine availability as they continue to "monitor and maintain the situation."

Mpox is "rarely fatal," according to the department, but can be dangerous for people with immunocompromising conditions, as well as older adults, young children and pregnant women.

Symptoms can include rashes that progress to "painful skin lesions," in addition to swollen lymph nodes, fever, sore throat, headaches, back pain, low energy and muscle aches, the department listed.

There is a "high likelihood of transmission" until these lesions scab over, which means infected individuals are encouraged to isolate until new skin forms at the lesion site.

Mpox can spread through close, intimate contact with sores, scabs or rashes, the department stated, as well as through the respiratory droplets, saliva or mucus of an infected person.

Those who plan to travel to areas with reported cases of mpox should consider being vaccinated with the two doses of JYNNEOS, experts recommend.

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Dr. Myles Druckman, global medical director at International SOS in California, told Fox News Digital that there have been reports of this strain in several countries in Central and Eastern Africa.

"We’re finding that other countries have also reported travel-associated cases of clade I, including Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Oman, Pakistan, South Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe," he noted.

"It's important to recognize that cases of this strain are expected due to the ongoing outbreak in multiple countries and the risks associated with global travel."

Mpox can be infectious for up to four days before symptoms occur, but it is most contagious from the time symptoms appear until about two to four weeks later, according to Druckman.

The expert emphasized that vaccination is recommended for high-risk individuals, such as healthcare workers with high exposure or people with weakened immune systems.

"Prevention of mpox is mainly through vaccination and avoiding skin-to-skin contact with others – especially those with symptoms or visible outbreaks – and observing good personal hygiene and washing hands well and frequently," he added.

NASA Invites Media to Artemis II Moon Mission Activities at Kennedy

✇Artemis – NASA
By:Roxana Bardan
11 February 2025 at 16:29
A massive crane lifts NASA’s Orion spacecraft out of the Final Assembly and System Testing cell and moves it to the altitude chamber to complete further testing on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The altitude chamber simulates deep space vacuum conditions, and the testing will provide additional data to augment data gained during testing earlier this summer.
A massive crane lifts NASA’s Orion spacecraft out of the Final Assembly and System Testing cell and moves it to the altitude chamber to complete further testing on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The altitude chamber simulates deep space vacuum conditions, and the testing will provide additional data to augment data gained during testing earlier this summer.
Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Media are invited to visit NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to capture imagery of the agency’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft and twin SLS (Space Launch System) solid rocket boosters for the first crewed Artemis mission around the Moon. The event is targeted for Friday, March 7.

Subject matter experts from NASA and industry partners will be available for interviews.

Space is limited for this event. The deadline for foreign national media to apply is 11:59 p.m. EST, Thursday, Feb. 13. The deadline for U.S. citizens is 11:59 p.m. EST, Thursday, Feb. 20.

All accreditation requests must be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

Credentialed media will receive a confirmation email upon approval. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation, or to request logistical support, email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other questions, please contact NASA’s Kennedy Space Center newsroom at: 321-867-2468.

Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitor entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.

Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

Learn more about NASA’s Artemis campaign:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

-end- 

Rachel Kraft
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov

Tiffany Fairley/Allison Tankersley
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-747-8306/ 321-412-7237
tiffany.l.fairley@nasa.gov / allison.p.tankersley@nasa.gov

Trump pauses enforcement of law criminalizing foreign bribery: ‘In practicality, it’s a disaster’

✇Latest Political News on Fox News
11 February 2025 at 12:47

President Donald Trump has paused the enforcement of a law that criminalizes American businesses that bribe foreign officials in an executive order signed on Monday.

The order, which directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to stop enforcing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), is intended to further American economic growth by eliminating excessive barriers to American commerce abroad.

"It sounds good on paper, but in practicality, it's a disaster," Trump said about the FCPA. 

"It means that if an American goes over to a foreign country and starts doing business over there illegally, legitimately or otherwise, it's almost a guaranteed investigation indictment. And nobody wants to do business with the Americans because of it," Trump continued.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION APPEALS RULING BLOCKING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER

According to the DOJ, the FCPA was enacted in 1977 to make it "unlawful for certain classes of persons and entities to make payments to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business." 

However, the act has been "stretched beyond proper bounds and abused in a manner that harms the interests of the United States." Enforcing the FCPA also "actively harms American economic competitiveness and, therefore, national security," the order states. 

TRUMP ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING TASK FORCE TO 'ERADICATE ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIAS'

In an effort to eliminate excessive barriers to American businesses overseas, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has also been directed, through the executive order, to review the FCPA for the following 180 days and revise reasonable enforcement guidelines. 

"President Trump is stopping excessive, unpredictable FCPA enforcement that makes American companies less competitive," a White House fact sheet stated. "U.S. companies are harmed by FCPA overenforcement because they are prohibited from engaging in practices common among international competitors, creating an uneven playing field."

"The title is so lovely, but it's an absolutely horror show for America," Trump said. "So we’re signing it because that's what we have to do to make it good… It's going to mean a lot more business for America."

Mavericks fans ejected over 'Fire Nico' protests amid growing animosity over Luka Doncic trade

✇Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
11 February 2025 at 14:46

There was an exodus of disgruntled Dallas Mavericks fans at American Airlines Center on Monday night as security was seen escorting several people out of the arena after they called for general manager Nico Harrison’s job following the Luka Doncic trade. 

Security escorted out several fans that either held up "Fire Nico" signs or shouted out the phrase during the Mavericks’ one-point loss to the Sacramento Kings.

During a karaoke segment where fans sang along to Whitney Houston’s "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," one man was shown on the Jumbotron mouthing the phrase "Fire Nico." 

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The camera quickly panned away. 

That same man was also seen holding a sign with the same phrasing. He and another man holding the sign were later seen being escorted away from their seats in a video shared on social media. 

According to The Dallas Morning News, two more fans were escorted out in the fourth quarter. Each time, the escorts were met by boos from fans in the surrounding area. 

MAVERICKS GM GETTING BOOST IN SECURITY FOR FIRST HOME GAME SINCE LUKA DONČIĆ TRADE AFTER DEATH THREATS: REPORT

Doncic led the NBA in scoring last season and helped the Mavericks reach an NBA Finals appearance, but was dealt away to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most controversial trades in recent memory. 

Fans have since expressed their disdain for Harrison, the mastermind behind the trade, prompting the organization to reportedly increase his security before Saturday’s game over the weekend. 

The Lakers acquired Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks got Anthony Davis, Max Christie and Los Angeles' 2029 first-round pick. To complete the deal, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

But Davis sustained a groin injury in his debut for Dallas and will be sidelined at least through the All-Star break.  

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report. 

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Pressure mounts on CBS, Paramount as judge declares motion to dismiss Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit ‘moot’

✇Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
11 February 2025 at 12:59

FIRST ON FOX -- President Trump scored a victory on Tuesday when a judge deemed CBS and Paramount’s dismissal complaint "moot" as his election interference and news distortion lawsuit moves forward. 

Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News in October, alleging election interference over its handling of the "60 Minutes" interview, accusing the network of aiding his Democratic rival through deceptive editing just days before the election. 

Last week, Trump’s legal team amended the original lawsuit following the release of the unedited transcript and raw footage of its controversial "60 Minutes" interview. The lawsuit added CBS News' parent company Paramount Global as a defendant, citing how the "60 Minutes" election special was platformed on its Paramount+ streaming service. Additionally, the lawsuit added Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, as a plaintiff and increased the damages claim to $20 billion. 

TRUMP'S LAWSUIT AGAINST CBS EXPANDS AFTER RELEASE OF '60 MINUTES' TRANSCRIPT, ADDS PARAMOUNT AS DEFENDANT

U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk denied a motion from CBS and Paramount, who were seeking to dismiss for failing to state a claim and for improper venue. 

"Plaintiffs add a Defendant, a Plaintiff, and a litany of factual allegations and legal claims in their Amended Complaint. Accordingly, the Motions are denied as moot," Kacsmaryk ruled in a court filing obtained by Fox News Digital. 

CBS sought to dismiss the case because it believed Texas is an improper venue, with the case being transferred from Texas to New York as an alternative. Kacsmaryk’s moot ruling means it will remain in Texas for the time being. 

CBS and Paramount have 21 days to renew the motion to dismiss based on the amended complaint. 

CBS STAFFERS UPSET OVER ‘60 MINUTES’ DRAMA, ADMIT KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW EDITS WERE AN ‘UNFORCED ERROR’

Judge Kacsmaryk added, "Nothing in this Order shall be construed as a determination on the merits of either Plaintiffs’ or Defendants’ substantive arguments and claims in the Motions or Amended Complaint."

CBS News did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The victory for Trump comes as pressure continues to build on CBS. 

Last week, the FCC released the raw transcript and footage handed over by CBS News, which showed CBS News had aired only the first half of Harris' response to Whitaker's question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not "listening" to the Biden administration in a preview clip that aired on "Face the Nation," but aired only the second half of her response during the primetime special. 

"But it seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not listening," Whitaker said in the October 2024 interview. "The Wall Street Journal said that he— that your administration has repeatedly been blindsided by Netanyahu, and in fact, he has rebuffed just about all of your administration's entreaties."

FCC CHAIR CALLS CBS NEWS' CONDUCT ‘HARD TO EXPLAIN’ FOLLOWING RELEASE OF KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

"Well, Bill, the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by, or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region. And we're not going to stop doing that. We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end," Harris responded.

New FCC chair Brendan Carr ordered CBS News to hand over the unedited transcript as part of its investigation into whether the network violated the FCC's "news distortion" policy after a complaint was filed.

In the preview clip that aired on "Face the Nation," Harris was asked why it seemed like Netanyahu wasn’t listening to the U.S. 

"Well, Bill, the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by, or a result of, many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region," Harris responded in the "Face the Nation" clip. 

Harris was mocked by conservatives for offering a lengthy "word salad" to Whitaker. But when that same question aired the following night in the primetime election special, a shorter, more focused answer from the vice president followed.

"We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end," Harris said in the primetime special. 

Critics accused CBS News of editing Harris' "word salad" answer to shield the vice president from further backlash, and there were calls for the network to release the full transcript after it only shared transcripts of what had aired. CBS News refused to release the raw transcript until the FCC got involved.

CBS parent company Paramount Global is reportedly considering settling the suit ahead of a planned merger with Skydance Media in hopes of preventing potential retribution by Trump's FCC, which has the authority to halt the multibillion-dollar transaction. Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, is reportedly in favor of settling with the president. 

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report. 

GOP strategist accuses CNN of double standard on Biden overstepping authority vs. how network treated Trump

✇Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
11 February 2025 at 08:06

Republican strategist Brad Todd called out CNN for not questioning whether former President Biden was laying the groundwork to defy court orders, as the panel went all in on President Trump's opposition to restraining orders against a couple of his executive actions. 

"This is not a new reality. Let’s rewind the tape. A couple of years ago, Joe Biden lost his plan for student loan forgiveness, if you will, at the Supreme Court. His quote was, ‘I will stop at nothing to do this.’ And he then proceeded to give up $48 billion of student loan debt in defiance of the Supreme Court," Todd said, as CNN host Jim Sciutto pushed back.

Several of the Trump administration's actions, such as the federal funding freeze and the barring of the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) access to personal data, have been challenged by Democratic attorneys general and several states that took issue with the executive orders. Scuitto wondered whether the Trump administration was laying the groundwork to disobey any future court rulings with regard to his executive action.

ELON MUSK ALLEGES $50B IN FRAUD AT TREASURY AFTER JUDGE BLOCKS DOGE AUDIT

"When Joe Biden said ‘I will stop at nothing' when he lost the student loan case, we didn‘t get on television and CNN didn‘t say, ‘I wonder if he’s laying the groundwork to defy the court.’ We don’t, we treat Republican presidents different than we treat Democratic presidents in this conversation," he added following more discussion from the panel.

Paul Engelmayer, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York and an appointee of former President Barack Obama, issued a temporary restraining order on Saturday that sided with 19 Democratic state attorneys general who claimed that giving DOGE "full access" to the Treasury’s payment systems violates the law.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell also filed a new motion Monday ordering the Trump administration to comply with a restraining order issued Jan. 31, temporarily blocking the administration’s efforts to pause federal grants and loans. 

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Sciutto asked CNN legal analyst Elliot Williams to respond to Todd's argument, calling the idea that Biden did the same thing a "talking point."

"Certainly, I will give the president this. He has every right to challenge orders. He has every right to say the courts are wrong. He has every right to vindicate his rights. But when both he and JD Vance are making the argument that, well, there will come a day when we simply will not adhere to court orders, that to me is the big problem," Williams responded.

Todd brought up Biden's commission to look at expanding the court and accused the former president and the Democratic Party of trying to undermine the integrity of the Supreme Court for several years.

CNN contributor Alex Thompson argued that Trump was "doing something new" in trying to push the "limits of executive order."

"Like Barack Obama did with the waters of the United States and the clean power plan and Joe Biden did the student loan act, presidents advancing executive policy to get to the Supreme Court and test the limits is as old as the presidency, this is not extraordinary," he said.

Williams agreed with Todd's argument. 

Fox News' Diana Stancy and Emma Colton contributed to this report.

GOP rebels mutiny against House leaders as Trump budget bill talks hit impasse

✇Latest Political News on Fox News
10 February 2025 at 16:29

The hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus has released its own proposal to enact President Donald Trump's agenda via the budget reconciliation process.

The plan would pair a debt ceiling increase and increased border security funding with deep spending cuts through welfare work requirements and rollbacks on progressive Biden administration initiatives.

It's a sign that House GOP leaders have still not found consensus within the conference on a path forward, despite ambitious plans to get a bill through the chamber at the end of the month.

House and Senate Republicans are aiming to use their congressional majorities to pass a massive conservative policy overhaul via the budget reconciliation process.

SCOOP: KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN

By reducing the Senate's threshold for passage from one-third to a simple majority, where the House already operates, Republicans will be able to enact Trump's plans while entirely skirting Democratic opposition, provided the items included relate to budgetary and other fiscal matters.

GOP lawmakers want to include a wide swath of Trump priorities from more funding for border security to eliminating taxes on tipped and overtime wages.

But fiscal hawks have also demanded the package be deficit-neutral or deficit-reducing. Congressional leaders can afford little dissent with their razor-thin majorities and guaranteed lack of Democratic support.

The Freedom Caucus's plan would follow through on conservatives' pleas for deep spending cuts, pairing $200 billion in annual new spending for the border and national defense with $486 billion in spending cuts for the same 10-year period.

It would also include a $4 trillion increase in the debt ceiling, something Trump demanded be part of Republicans' fiscal negotiations.

Spending cuts would be found in codifying rollbacks to the Biden administration's electric vehicle mandates and imposing Clinton administration-era work requirements for certain federal benefits, among other measures.

The legislation leaves out one critical component of Trump's reconciliation goals – the extension of his 2017-era Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

House GOP leaders and Republicans on the Ways & Means Committee had pushed for them to be included alongside border security, debt ceiling, defense and energy measures in one massive reconciliation bill. 

They argued that leaving them for a second bill, which the House Freedom Caucus plan would do, will allow Trump's tax cuts to expire at the end of this year before Congress has time to act.

The two-track approach is also favored by Senate Republicans, who are moving forward with their own plan this week.

Conservatives on the House Budget Committee pushed back against GOP leaders' initial proposals for baseline spending cuts to offset new spending in the reconciliation plan, forcing the House to punt on plans to advance a resolution through the House Budget Committee last week.

Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., later announced plans to advance his own proposal through his committee by Thursday.

BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF 'PURGE' OF 'MINORITY' FEDERAL WORKERS

""The biggest loser this weekend wasn't at the Super Bowl, but rather the American people," Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital. "The clock is ticking, and we are no closer to a budget deal, which is why the House Freedom Caucus released our Emergency Border Control Resolution Budget to secure our border and address Trump's America First Agenda."

House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, R-Md., said in a statement, "Given the current delay in the House on moving a comprehensive reconciliation bill, moving a smaller targeted bill now makes the most sense to deliver a win for the President and the American people."

Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, said, "The American people voted for Donald Trump to see action – not for Congress to sit on its hands while our short window to pass his America-First agenda closes."

Supporters of the two-bill approach have said it would secure early wins on issues Republicans agree most on while leaving more complex matters like tax cuts for the latter half of the year.

Drivers targeted in emerging crime trend have one thing in common

✇Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
9 February 2025 at 07:00

Texas law enforcement issued a word of warning to Ford F-series truck owners after they broke up an organized crime ring targeting the popular vehicle model.

Three Texas men are facing charges for allegedly stripping the taillights off dozens of high-end Ford trucks, indicating a new trend of vehicle thefts that has owners on high alert. 

Jimmy Dean Miller, Jaleel D. Fasion and Sergio Giovanni Sanfilippo are charged with engaging in organized criminal activity after police say the trio stole over $92,000 worth of taillights. 

The ring operated between September 2024 and January 2025, targeting 34 victims, according to the Webster Police Department. 

FORD SPOTLIGHTS A NEW LINEUP OF POPULAR TRUCKS

Miller, Fasion and Sanfilippo traveled throughout the I-45 highway corridor between Houston and Galveston, according to authorities. Officers relied on surveillance to track the suspects as they entered high-traffic areas, ultimately establishing probable cause for the arrests. 

Most of the vehicles targeted by the three men were F-350s, according to police. The latest models of the trucks can cost more than $100,000. 

"We found that taillights from luxury Ford vehicles were being stolen," Webster Police Chief Pete Bacon told Fox News Digital. "We believe the reason is that these taillights contain specific sensors, and these sensors are part of the entire [luxury] system and cost a lot of money." 

Once thieves have access to the tailgate of a vehicle, they can remove the lights by simply unscrewing them from the truck, making off with the loot within a matter of seconds. 

"If they have two or three guys working in conjunction, they can get these lights removed in under a minute," Bacon told Fox News Digital. 

MAN NAMED ‘OPTIMUS PRIME’ ARRESTED FOR AUTO THEFT: TEXAS POLICE

Bacon believes that the taillights were being sold online to truck owners who are looking for replacements but may not want to pay retail price. The investigation revealed that the trio sold the stolen parts on sites such as Facebook Marketplace, with one victim possibly purchasing his own headlights back, police said.

Bacon encourages drivers to take precautions to protect their vehicles.

Drivers can purchase aftermarket tailgate locks or scratch a series of numbers into the inside of their taillights, making them identifiable if they are stolen, according to Bacon. Truck owners should consult their truck’s dealership to ensure any security measures do not impact their warranty. 

FLORIDA AUTHORITIES ARREST ALLEGED RETAIL THEFT RING MEMBERS ACCUSED OF STEALING $90K WORTH OF GOODS

Ford did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Court records indicate that the three men are facing criminal charges for the thefts. Fasion is charged but has been released from custody and Sanfilippo is currently out on bond. 

A magistrate judge ruled that no probable cause was found in Miller’s case, but prosecutors are planning to refile the charges through a grand jury, the district attorney’s office told Fox News Digital. 

The Webster Police Department worked with the Galveston County Auto Crimes Task Force, League City Police Department and Seabrook Police Department to apprehend the suspects.

Bacon warns that although this began as a regional issue, there is a likelihood of copycat criminals and truck owners should take precautions to protect their vehicles. 

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"Once a group of thieves figures out what kind of niche they're going after, then we'll probably have more," Bacon said. "There's going to be other rings out there targeting taillights. I don't think with these three arrests, that this problem is going to end."

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