Okay, I am not a lawyer so I only understood about half of what just happened. But I am fairly sure, given the context, that Elon Musk’s lawyers may have just fucked up big.
Technology
NASA’s Psyche mission fires up its futuristic electric engines
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25460661/Psyche_ion_thruster.png?ssl=1 "NASA’s Psyche mission fires up its futuristic electric engines")
NASA has turned on the electric Hall thrusters of Psyche, a spacecraft that’s now gently motoring toward a metal-rich asteroid embedded in the main asteroid belt beyond Mars. The agency says Psyche is in “full cruise” mode now, six months after launching on October 13th, 2023, on a conventional, SpaceX rocket.
On the way, NASA used Psyche to test laser-based deep space communications. The craft shot a communications laser back at the Earth from close to 10 million miles out, which is a first for NASA. It’s expected to reach its target and namesake, the Psyche asteroid, by 2029 and will orbit it for two years, observing and sending data back to NASA. Scientists suspect Psyche is actually the beginning core of a planet, also called a planetesimal.
Ion propulsion is both relatively new and pretty old for NASA. The agency has been working on the tech since before US astronauts first flew to the Moon, having test-fired its first ion thruster in 1964. They also have no moving parts; instead, they generate thrust by exciting xenon particles, pushing them out of the thruster. You can read more about them in this NASA paper (PDF) describing ion propulsion.
There are lots of different kinds of ion propulsion, including the magnetic Hall thrusters used by Psyche. In 2018, Psyche’s Spacecraft Chief Engineer wrote this detailed explanation of the differences between those and other ion thrusters, as well as other kinds like arc jets and microwave thrusters.
NASA first used ion propulsion as a spacecraft’s main propulsion for 1998’s Deep Space 1, a mission specifically conducted to test “various advanced technologies for future interplanetary missions.” In 2007, Dawn became NASA’s “first exclusively science-focused” mission to use ion thrusters, flying until it ran out of hydrazine, the fuel it used for its orientation thrusters. Without those, it couldn’t turn itself back to maintain communication with NASA
Ion propulsion isn’t powerful enough to launch a rocket from Earth, but they can still reach very high speeds over time. Right now, NASA says Psyche is traveling at 23 miles per second, or about 84,000mph, and will eventually reach 124,000mph. Thrusters like Psyche’s are generally useful because the lack of moving parts makes them durable, and they use less fuel, so they’re lighter and can be used on smaller spacecraft. Plus, they look cool when they’re turned on.
Continue Reading
Not all trifolds are created equal — just ask our own Allison Johnson, who recently spent time with Samsung’s ill-fated Galaxy phone. Aurzen’s Zip projector is the kind of trifold gadget we can fully get behind, though, and it’s currently on sale at Amazon for $259.99 ($140 off). You can also pick it up in several colors directly from Aurzen for the same price, or in the gold shade for a new low of $249.99.
While not nearly as powerful as Anker’s Nebula P1 and other portable projectors we’ve recently tested, the Zip is surprisingly capable despite its small stature and battery-powered operation. The snake-like 720p projector offers up to 100 lumens of brightness — meaning it will work best in dark environments, or in brighter rooms when viewing a smaller image — while its built-in battery should last about 80 minutes based on our real-world testing. That’s not exactly marathon battery life, but it’s easy enough to top off the Zip using a power bank or wall adapter.
In terms of support, the Zip can quickly connect to iPhones via AirPlay and to Android devices over Miracast, Smart View, and similar standards, allowing you to wirelessly mirror everything you can see on your phone. You can use it to watch any movies you’ve downloaded on your device, peruse your social feeds, or get in a quick session with your favorite game. It works in both landscape and portrait orientations, too, and supports Bluetooth, letting you listen privately with headphones or pair it to your favorite speaker.
The biggest downside to the Zip, at least for some folks, is that you won’t be able to use it to watch content from services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max due to copyright restrictions. Aurzen does make a USB-C dongle that allows you to stream DRM-protected content, if you truly can’t get by without watching the latest episode of Euphoria. You’ll have to pay a whopping $109 for the privilege, or find another way.
Pages from the Anthropic website and the company’s logos are displayed on a computer screen in New York on Feb. 26, 2026. (Patrick Sison/AP Photo)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– Anthropic has an AI model that’s too dangerous to go public
– Melania Trump turns White House tennis pavilion into AI lab for students
– Florida murder suspect asked ChatGPT about dumping human remains days before killings: docs
LOCKS WIDE OPEN: Anthropic’s Mythos AI model, too dangerous to release publicly, is changing digital security faster than anyone is ready for – There is a new AI model called Mythos. Anthropic built it for defensive cybersecurity research. It is so effective at finding software vulnerabilities that Anthropic decided the general public cannot have it.
FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT: From rogue AI blackmailing humans to condensing school days, AI revolution already reshaping life – Fox Business explores how the artificial intelligence revolution is already fundamentally reshaping everyday life, ranging from alarming scenarios of rogue AI blackmailing humans to innovative applications condensing traditional school days.
DIVERSITY FIGHT: Trump DOJ jumps into Musk xAI court battle – The Trump Department of Justice has formally intervened in a high-profile court battle involving Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI, as a broader legal and political fight over corporate diversity initiatives rapidly heats up.
FIRST LADY FUTURE: Melania Trump embraces AI education initiative in White House tech push she’s been championing – First lady Melania Trump is actively embracing a new artificial intelligence education initiative as part of a broader White House technology push that she has long been championing.
Melania Trump an immersive event AI event this week where students used Meta virtual reality headsets and AI-powered glasses to explore British landmarks and examine historical artifacts. (Andrea Hanks)
PRICE PAIN SPREADS: AI boom tests GOP’s midterm affordability pitch – The rapid artificial intelligence boom and its associated energy costs are beginning to test the Republican Party’s midterm pitch on affordability as economic price pain spreads among voters.
CHILLING QUERY: Florida murder suspect asked ChatGPT about dumping human remains days before killings: docs – Newly released court documents revealing that a Florida murder suspect allegedly asked the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT for advice on dumping human remains just days before the killings occurred.
RACE IS ON: Kevin O’Leary details massive Utah AI data center to rival China’s tech dominance – Business mogul Kevin O’Leary detailed plans for a massive artificial intelligence data center in Utah designed specifically to rival China’s growing global tech dominance.
TECH FIGHT: Former Apple CEO sees OpenAI poses largest competitive threat to tech giant in years – Former Apple CEO John Sculley is sounding the alarm on artificial intelligence, warning that OpenAI currently poses the largest competitive threat the massive tech giant has faced in years.
BOUNCING BACK: US economic growth rebounds as AI buildout and consumer spending fuel first quarter – U.S. economic growth rebounded in the first quarter of the year from a sluggish fourth quarter, according to the Commerce Department’s latest estimate.
JOB IMPACT: Zuckerberg says Meta layoffs tied to AI spending, won’t rule out future cuts – Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has explicitly tied recent staff layoffs to the company’s massive spending on artificial intelligence, while pointedly refusing to rule out the possibility of future workforce cuts.
HEAVYWEIGHT LEGAL BATTLE: Elon Musk tells court he was fool for funding OpenAI: report – Tech billionaire Elon Musk told a court that he was a “fool” for his early financial role in funding the artificial intelligence research organization OpenAI.
Elon Musk testifies during the OpenAI trial in Oakland, Calif., on April 29, 2026. (Vicki Behringer)
LEARNING ON THE JOB: Meta tracks workers to train AI agents – Social media giant Meta is actively tracking its own workers and analyzing their internal communications in an effort to train its advanced new artificial intelligence agents.
Subscribe now to get the Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter in your inbox.
FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube
X
SIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS
Fox News First
Fox News Opinion
Fox News Lifestyle
Fox News Health
DOWNLOAD OUR APPS
Fox News
Fox Business
Fox Weather
Fox Sports
Tubi
WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE
Fox News Go
STREAM FOX NATION
Fox Nation
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.
Jared “James Brickhouse” Birchall, Musk’s finance guy and all-around fixer, took the stand after Musk today. Most of his testimony was dull and seemed to exist primarily to get some documents read into the record, which sucks but is a normal part of sitting through trials. But at the very end of his boring testimony something interesting happened. I believe we all got a surprise, something that rarely happens in courtrooms.
The lawyer conducting his direct examination was passed a note by another member of the team, and asked Birchall what was apparently contained on the note: was he familiar with the xAI bid for OpenAI’s assets?
“Sam Altman was on both sides of the table.”
“As I recall, a lawyer we were working with had asked the attorney general of California to ensure that in their fiduciary duty, proper value was being given to the assets of the nonprofit of OpenAI,” Birchall said. In his understanding, there was a negotiation “between Sam Altman and himself on both sides of the table, the for-profit and the non-profit, attempting to discount the value of the non-profit assets. And we made that bid in an attempt to properly account for the value the foundation had, and create a market bid that would need to be considered by the attorney general.”
Here’s some lore: in February 2025, a Musk-led coalition made a $97.4 billion bid for the non-profit that controls OpenAI. The bid was submitted by Marc Toberoff, one of Musk’s lawyers in the current case. This bid happened as OpenAI was restructuring itself so that the for-profit arm could be cleared to go public. In Birchall’s testimony, that bid was made because Musk, Birchall, and others, thought Altman might undervalue the nonprofit as the company restructured itself. (I’m not really sure why that would be a problem for Musk and xAI, frankly, but whatever.)
The defense counsel objected, and Birchall’s rant was struck for lack of foundation. So we did this piece by piece to establish the foundation, ending with Birchall saying, again, “Sam Altman was on both sides of the table.”
On cross-examination, Bradley Wilson from Wachtell Lipton — OpenAI’s lawyers — picked the thread back up. Wilson asked how much of this Birchall had learned from sources other than lawyers. Birchall said he’d have a hard time being able to untangle that. After a few more exchanges, Wilson moved to strike all of Birchall’s testimony about the xAI bid on grounds that would not be discussed in front of the jury.
“You must have been very convincing. You’re not very convincing today.”
The jury got to leave early while the lawyers duked it out, and this is where it got weird. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers started asking Birchall questions herself, and it clearly was making Birchall nervous. Birchall said he doesn’t remember discussing the xAI bid with Musk or Shivon Zilis or any other principal of the Musk organization. It sure sounded like Musk’s lawyers hadn’t given OpenAI proper discovery on this topic in the depositions, and so we were doing a fast and dirty deposition with the judge right then. At one point, Gonzalez Rogers told the plaintiff’s counsel to quit coaching the witness.
Birchall said he’d spoken to the other members of the consortium about the bid, but that he wasn’t involved in discussions with Musk about when to send the bid letter. He claimed he’d heard some things from Toberoff, but that he wasn’t aware that Toberoff represented some of the other bidders. He didn’t know if xAI was aware that Toberoff represented some of the other bidders, either.
Birchall didn’t know whether other investors had first-hand information about OpenAI, he claimed. No one had documents from inside OpenAI as far as he knew. Gonzalez Rogers remained unconvinced. “I’m still struggling with how you can have conversations with these individuals to raise $97.5 billion but have no recollections even in a general sense,” she said. Birchall said he had a general sense — he called each of the people involved to see if they were interested in joining Musk on the bid.
“Why would they do that?” Gonzales Rogers asked. Birchall said these were people with whom Musk et al had longstanding relationships. “You must have been very convincing,” she said. “You’re not very convincing today.”
Birchall said there were no numbers besides the topline one floated when he called prospective investors, and that after speaking with him, they were passed off to lawyers. He didn’t remember who chose the $97.4 billion number, and said he got it from the legal team, telling Gonzalez Rogers he didn’t get it from Musk. Gonzalez Rogers asked if that analysis was created by anyone besides Toberoff. Birchall said not that he could recall.
“Did a lawyer tell you this was part of litigation?” Gonzalez Rogers asked.
No, Birchall said. It was strictly a business deal.
Apparently Steven Molo, who’d been defending Musk during the deposition, had made multiple objections to questions about the deal, citing privileged communications. Business deals, apparently, aren’t privileged. But all discovery into the xAI bid for OpenAI had been blocked before the trial began. Unfortunately, by asking Birchall about the xAI deal at the very end of the direct examination, Musk’s team may have opened the door for more digging into it. You may be wondering, “open the door to what” and your guess is as good as mine. More discovery? Maybe something about anticompetitive behavior from Musk? It doesn’t sound like it’s going to be good for Musk, I can tell you that much.
Gonzalez Rogers then asked who’d passed the note, and all the lawyers just sat there like guilty children. Finally, the guy responsible said he’d passed it, but he didn’t write it; a junior lawyer did. Who wrote it? More silence. Finally Toberoff — hardly a junior lawyer — stood up and took responsibility. Why had he done it? “I thought it was appropriate.”
“Sounds like you wanted to open the door, then,” Gonzalez Rogers said. We adjourned while she said she’d consider what to do with this testimony. She will probably rule on it tomorrow.
Correction, April 30th: It is Shivon Zilis, not Sharon Zilis.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
-
Culture7 minutes agoBook Review: ‘Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters,’ by Yevgenia Nayberg
-
Lifestyle13 minutes agoWhen Does a Shoe Stop Being a Shoe?
-
Education19 minutes agoHow a Radical Historian Saved the Schlock of ’76
-
Technology25 minutes agoAurzen’s tiny trifold projector is almost 40 percent off right now
-
World31 minutes agoNorth Korea’s extreme battlefield doctrine revealed by Kim Jong Un during speech
-
Politics37 minutes agoMN governor race to replace Walz sees major shakeup as GOP contender ends campaign: ‘Don’t see a path’
-
Health43 minutes agoThinking about peptides? Doctors reveal key dos and don’ts as ‘Wild West’ market grows
-
Sports49 minutes agoBest bet: Magic will take down the top-seeded Pistons in Orlando