SpaceX to build Big Falcon Rocket; Bridg acquires Relevant Mobile; bill to identify bots passes Senate Committee.

SpaceX to Build Big Falcon Rocket

Mayor Eric Garcetti announced April 16 during his state of the city address that Elon Musk’s SpaceX will start building the largest rocket ever, Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), on Terminal Island in the Port of Los Angeles, the Business Journal reports. The rocket is expected to be used for missions to Mars, and will be able to carry 150 tons powered by 31 Raptor engines.

“This is a vehicle that holds the promise of taking humanity even deeper into the cosmos than ever before,” said Garcetti during the address at City Hall.

Bridg Acquires Relevant Mobile

Los Angeles-based Bridg, which develops personalized marketing software and technology, acquired Relevant Mobile, a developer of mobile app, loyalty and rewards programs, Socaltech reports. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Relevant Mobile’s co-founders, Gerrine Pan and Dazhi Chen, will join Bridg as part of the acquisition. Bridg is led by CEO and founder Amit Jain, and is venture backed by Morpheus Ventures, NextEquity Partners, Visa and March Capital.

Bill to Identify Bots Passes Senate Committee

Senator Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, announced today that his bill, SB 1001, which would require social media companies to identify the presence of automated accounts, or bots, passed the Senate Committee, he announced in a press release. Hertzberg authored the bill with the support of Common Sense Kids Action to protect Internet users from the spread of false information.

Technology reporter Eli Horowitz can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachhorowitz13 for the latest in L.A. tech news.