Short Takes – 3-12-26 – Federal Register

Hazardous Materials: 2026 Hazardous Materials Safety Research, Development, and Technology Forum. Federal Register PHMSA meeting notice. Summary: “The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS) will host a public Research, Development, & Technology Forum (Forum) from March 31-April 2, 2026, in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. More details, to include the location, will be posted on the PHMSA website at the link provided below. The Forum will provide an opportunity for PHMSA-funded research projects to present the results of recently completed or ongoing projects. OHMS will discuss upcoming hazardous materials transportation research project plans and obtain stakeholder input on the direction of OHMS's current and future research projects”

Pipeline Safety: 2026 Pipeline Safety Research and Development Forum. Federal Register PHMSA meeting notice. Summary: “This notice announces the 2026 Pipeline Safety Research and Development Forum (R&D Forum). PHMSA periodically holds this R&D Forum to generate a national research agenda that identifies technical challenges and fosters solutions to improve pipeline safety.” Meeting date: March 31 through April 1, 2026.

Zoox-Receipt of Application for Temporary Exemption From Various Requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for an Automated Driving System-Equipped Vehicle. Federal Register NHTSA  request for comments. Summary: “Zoox, Inc. (“Zoox”) has petitioned NHTSA for a temporary exemption from certain requirements in eight Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) applicable to its passenger car equipped with an automated driving system (ADS). Specifically, Zoox seeks exemption from portions of FMVSS No. 103, Windshield defrosting and defogging systems; FMVSS No. 104, Windshield wiping and washing systems; FMVSS No. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment; FMVSS No. 111, Rear visibility; FMVSS No. 135, Light vehicle brake systems; FMVSS No. 201, Occupant protection in interior impact; FMVSS No. 205, Glazing materials; and FMVSS No. 208, Occupant crash protection. NHTSA is publishing this document in accordance with statutory and administrative provisions and seeks comment on the merits of Zoox's exemption application and on potential terms and conditions that should be applied to a temporary exemption if granted. After receiving and considering public comments, NHTSA will make a decision on the merits of the application and will publish a notice in the Federal Register setting forth NHTSA's reasoning for either granting or denying the petition.” Comments due April 10^th, 2026.

Sunshine Act Meeting. Federal Register NTSB meeting notice. Summary: “Investigation Report – Fatal Crashes Involving Vehicles Operated in Hands-Free Partial Automation Mode and Stationary Vehicles in San Antonio, Texas, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.” Meeting date March 31^st, 2026.

EO 14390 - Combating Cybercrime, Fraud, and Predatory Schemes Against American Citizens. Federal Register.

OMB Approves EPA EtO NESHAP NPRM

Yesterday the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had approved a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) from the EPA on “National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Ethylene Oxide Emissions Standards for Sterilization Facilities Residual Risk and Technology Review, Reconsideration”. The NPRM was sent to OIRA on March 4^th, 2026.

Eight days is a pretty quick turnaround at OIRA for an NPRM, but this is probably a significant deregulation rulemaking so it would be a priority for the Administration.

According to the Spring 2025 Unified Agenda entry for this rulemaking:

“On April 5, 2024, the EPA published the risk and technology review (RTR) of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Commercial Ethylene Oxide (EtO) Sterilization Facilities (See 89 FR 73293). EPA announced on March 12, 2025 that this rule will be a prioritized rule for reconsideration. The EPA will be reconsidering this action in order to address several issues that are administration priorities and consistent with the direction of the Agency”

I would expect to see this NPRM published in the Federal Register in the next week or two. As with the publication of the Biden Administration regulation, I do not expect to cover this rulemaking in any detail. I will, at least, be acknowledging publication in the appropriate Short Takes post.

Review - Missed CISA Advisory – 3-10-26

Yesterday I published a post describing three vulnerabilities and three updates published by CISA’s NCCIC-ICS. That post was based upon an email from CISA, “CISA Releases Six Industrial Control Systems Advisories”, which is available here, and was confirmed by Tweet on X. Today, when I checked CISA’s “ICS Advisories” page which lists four advisories being published by CISA yesterday, including an advisory for “Ceragon Siklu MultiHaul and EtherHaul Series” (ICSA-26-069-04) that was not described in yesterday’s post. Researching this advisory led me to a second vulnerability in the same products.

Ceragon Advisory

This advisory describes an unrestricted upload of file with dangerous type vulnerability (with publicly available exploit) in the Ceragon Siklu MultiHaul and EtherHaul Series microwave antennas.

 

For more information on this advisory, including a down-the-rabbit-hole discovery of a second vulnerability reported by the same researcher, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/missed-cisa-advisory-3-10-26 - subscription required.

Review – HR 7294 Introduced – AI for Secure Networks

Last month Rep Menendez (D,NJ) introduced HR 7294, the AI for Secure Networks Act. The bill would require the Department of Commerce to conduct a study on the impact of artificial intelligence technology with respect to the security of telecommunications networks. No new funding is authorized by this bill.

A press release from the office  of Menendez notes that:

“While artificial intelligence has unfortunately given our adversaries powerful new tools to launch mass cyberattacks against critical infrastructure, AI can, and should, also be used to harden and defend those same systems. That’s why I’m proud to lead the bipartisan, common-sense AI for Secure Networks Act to harness AI to strengthen real-time threat detection, boost resiliency and interoperability, and make our next-generation networks more secure and efficient. The threat is real, and the United States must act now to secure our networks for the future.”

Moving Forward

Menendez, and his three cosponsors {Rep Pfluger (R,TX), Rep McClellan (D,NJ), and Rep Landsman (D,OH)}, are all members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration. This means that there could be sufficient influence to see the bill considered in the Committee. I see nothing in the legislation that would engender any organized opposition. I suspect that there would be significant bipartisan support for the bill. Whether there would be sufficient support for the bill to be considered by the full House under the suspension of the rules process.

 

For more information on the provisions of this bill, as well as commentary on the reason for such reports from the Executive Branch, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/hr-7294-introduced-ai-for-secure - subscription required.

Review – Bills Introduced – 3-11-26

Yesterday, with just the Senate in Washington, there were 23 bills introduced. None of those bills are expected to receive additional coverage in this blog.

Space Geek Legislation

I would like to mention one bill under my limited Space Geek coverage in this blog:

S 4044 A bill to require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to designate national high-energy astrophysics hubs. Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]

 

For more information on these bills, including legislative history for similar bills in the 118^th Congress, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/bills-introduced-3-11-26 - subscription required.

Short Takes – 3-10-26 – Space Geek Edition

China designates space sector an “emerging pillar industry,” sets deep space ambitions in new economic blueprint. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “These are sectors expected to become foundational drivers of economic growth, likely meaning they will benefit from strong policy support, state financing and industrial development programs. The move suggests Beijing intends to expand the space sector beyond strategic state programs toward a larger industrial ecosystem encompassing launch services, satellites and downstream data applications.”

Asteroid 2024 YR4 will not impact the Moon. ESA.int article. Pull quote: “Despite the challenges, the observations were a success. By comparing 2024 YR4’s position relative to the background stars, the team was able to measure its orbit accurately enough to rule out a lunar impact in 2032.”

Unlocking AI in space: the case for greater industry and space agency collaboration. SpaceNews.com commentary. Pull quote: “The opportunity is vast. From Earth observation satellites that must process terabytes of sensor data in real-time to Mars rovers making split-second navigation decisions millions of miles from human oversight, AI promises to unlock unprecedented autonomous capabilities across the space domain. Realizing this vision demands more than sophisticated algorithms. It requires hardware engineered to withstand the universe’s most unforgiving environments, where a single component failure can jeopardize a billion-euro mission.”

Jared Isaacman on rebuilding, Artemis and what he’s learned during his first months as NASA administrator. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “Probably one of the bigger surprises is that in certain areas within NASA, we have either lost or outsourced some of our core competencies. That was surprising. More or less 75% of our workforce is contractors. There’s a lot of things that we have some external dependencies on that I would not have expected. We’ve got to look at that. There has to be certain expertise relevant to our mission that we retain inside the organization.”

Third Kairos launch fails. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “In a social media post, Space One, the company that operates Kairos, said it activated the rocket’s flight termination system after it “determined that mission success was difficult,” according to a machine translation. The company did not immediately disclose additional details about the problem that triggered the termination of the launch.”

On moonshots and Minneapolis. ScienceNews.org commentary. Pull quote: “Maybe both things can be true. Space exploration “can be this incredibly powerful thing that can bring us together,” Maher says. “It can also be this thing, like a mirror, that illustrates that we have a lot of divisions and problems. That’s the beauty of it, that it can do both things.””

Blue Origin’s surprise TeraWave constellation jolts LEO broadband race. SpaceNews.com article. ““TeraWave will not be competing with Amazon Leo,” Plucinsky said via email. “We identified an unmet need with customers who were seeking enterprise-grade internet access with higher speeds, symmetrical upload/download speeds, more redundancy, and rapid scalability for their networks.””

Senate committee advances NASA authorization bill that changes Artemis and extends ISS. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “The [Senate Commerce, Science, and Tranportation] committee passed on a voice vote March 4 an amended version of S. 933, a NASA authorization act originally introduced nearly a year ago. The committee also approved nearly 20 additional amendments from various committee members with the same vote.”

Backlog List

• ESA weighing options to address exploration funding shortfall,

• New ultraviolet image of comet 3I/ATLAS could help reveal what it's made of,

• Space Development Agency Makes Awards to Build 72 Tracking Layer Satellites for Tranche 3,

• Russia is about to do the most Russia thing ever with its next space station,

• Blue Origin breaks the accessibility barrier by sending the first wheelchair user to space,

• Improved ‘Terminator’ sun model could change space weather forecasting,

• Desert Works Propulsion expands U.S. ion propulsion capability through domestic manufacturing partnership and test capacity growth,

• Record launches, reusable rockets and a rescue: China made big strides in space in 2025,

• The crash of the MIRA-I spaceplane is raising serious concerns in the space industry, and

• HyPrSpace looks for applications beyond launch for its hybrid propulsion technology.

Review – 3 Advisories and 3 Updates Published – 3-10-26

Today CISA’s NCCIC-ICS published three control system security advisories for products from Honeywell, Lantronix and Apeman. They also update three advisories for products from Mitsubishi Electric.

Advisories

Honeywell Advisory - This advisory describes a missing authentication for critical function vulnerability (with publicly available exploit) in the Honeywell IQ4x BMS Controller.

NOTE: I briefly discussed the Zero Science report on March 8^th, 2026.

Lantronix Advisory - This advisory describes eight vulnerabilities in the Lantronix EDS3000PS and EDS5000 terminals.

Apeman Advisory - This advisory describes three vulnerabilities (each with publicly available exploits) in the Apeman ID71 cameras.

Updates

Mitsubishi Update #1 - This update provides additional information on the Iconics Digital Solutions advisory that was originally published on December 3^rd, 2024, and most recently updated on January 8^th, 2026.

Mitsubishi Update #2 - This update provides additional information on the Iconics Digital Solutions advisory that was originally published on July 2^nd, 2024, and most recently updated on January 8^th, 2026.

Mitsubishi Update #3 - This update provides additional information on the HMI SCADA advisory that was originally published on January 20^th, 2022, and most recently updated on January 8^th, 2026.

 

For more information on these advisories, including links to researcher reports and exploits, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/3-advisories-and-3-updates-published-ba4 - subscription required.