Short Takes – 8-5-23

Trans-Atlantic joint venture aims to build new ‘international’ space station. ArsTechnica.com article. Pull quote: ““We think by partnering with Airbus in a private commercial space station where Voyager and Airbus own it, it’s a great way for us to continue the partnership that exists today between ESA and NASA, except in a commercial sense," Kuta said in an interview. "The foundation is with Voyager and Airbus to expand that partnership. We do intend to bring in additional partners as well over the course of time.””

Another harrowing escape puts attention on open prostitution market along Seattle's Aurora Avenue. ABCNews.go.com article. Pull quote: “Cory Cocktail, the co-founder of the Seattle sex worker outreach organization Green Light Project, said sex work is inherently risky, but outdoor work is especially dangerous because of the difficulty in vetting clients. The closing of the motels to prostitution could make it even worse, he said, because workers might be more likely to resort to getting into clients' cars instead.” The law of unintended consequences is merciless.

Notice of Final Determination on 2023 DOE Critical Materials List. Federal Register DOE notice. Summary: “By this notice, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) presents 2023 DOE Critical Materials List. This list includes critical materials for energy, as determined by the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Undersecretary for Science and Innovation, pursuant to authority under the Energy Act of 2020, as well as those critical minerals on the 2022 final list published by the Secretary of Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This notice also presents the assessment that forms the basis for the designation of critical materials for energy. The final 2023 DOE Critical Materials List includes certain critical materials for energy and critical minerals as listed below.”

Cybersecurity Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, and Incident Disclosure. Federal Register SEC final rule. Summary: “The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) is adopting new rules to enhance and standardize disclosures regarding cybersecurity risk management, strategy, governance, and incidents by public companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Specifically, we are adopting amendments to require current disclosure about material cybersecurity incidents. We are also adopting rules requiring periodic disclosures about a registrant's processes to assess, identify, and manage material cybersecurity risks, management's role in assessing and managing material cybersecurity risks, and the board of directors' oversight of cybersecurity risks. Lastly, the final rules require the cybersecurity disclosures to be presented in Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“Inline XBRL”).” Official publication of much discussed rule.

Why Did Iranian "Cyber Avengers" Falsely Claim Successful Breach of Israeli Oil Refinery? Otorio.com blog post. Pull quote: “If one had retrieved and analyzed some Industrial project files (Like the Step7 files mentioned above), One could familiarize themselves with the specific processes, devices and technologies involved, and gain a better understanding of the attack surface and gain a better understanding of how to pull off the most impactful attack on the processes.”

NASA back in touch with Voyager 2 after 'interstellar shout'. Phys.org article. Pull quote: “"The Deep Space Network used the highest-power transmitter to send the command (the 100-kw S-band uplink from the Canberra site) and timed it to be sent during the best conditions during the antenna tracking pass in order to maximize possible receipt of the command by the spacecraft," Voyager project manager Suzanne Dodd told AFP.”

Pipeline Safety: Pipeline Safety Research and Development Forum. Federal Register PHMSA meeting notice. Summary: “This notice announces a public forum on Research and Development for pipeline safety titled “Pipeline Safety Research and Development Forum 2023.” PHMSA periodically holds this forum to help generate a national research agenda that identifies technical challenges and fosters solutions to improve pipeline safety and protect the environment.”