Short Takes – 2-15-24

Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus Lander Begins Its Moon Odyssey. UniverseToday.com article. Pull quote: “Odysseus’s science mission is scheduled to last about a week. The end will come when the sun drops beneath the moon’s horizon, cutting off the solar-powered lander’s ability to charge up its batteries. But that won’t be the end for commercial moon missions: Intuitive Machines is already working on another lander that will drill for ice in the moon’s south polar region. Meanwhile, Astrobotic is getting set to send NASA’s VIPER rover to a spot near the south pole, and Firefly Aerospace is due to deliver 10 NASA payloads to Mare Crisium aboard its Blue Ghost lander.”

Cyberattacks on hospitals are likely to increase, putting lives at risk, experts warn. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “The Department of Health and Human Services said it will rewrite the rules for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act -– the federal law commonly called HIPPA that requires insurers and health systems to protect patient information – to include new provisions that address cybersecurity later this year.”

Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities. Federal Register PHMSA 30-day ICR Notice.

2137–0625: Pipeline Safety: Integrity Management Program for Gas Distribution Pipelines.

2137–0632: Post-Accident Drug Testing for Pipeline Operators.

2137–0048: Recordkeeping Requirements for Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities.

2137–0594: Customer-Owned Service Lines.

2137–0618: Periodic Underwater Inspection and Notification of Abandoned Underwater Pipelines.

2137–0634: Recordkeeping for Underground Natural Gas Storage Facilities.

Comments due March 18^th, 2024.

Ocean Temperatures Keep Shattering Records—and Stunning Scientists. Wired.com article. Pull quote: “Last week, the US Climate Prediction Center put the odds of La Niña developing between June and August at 55 percent. Whereas El Niño tends to create wind shear in the Atlantic, which beats down hurricanes, La Niña reduces wind shear. “All other things being equal, La Niña acts to enhance Atlantic hurricane activity,” says McNoldy. “When you have that influence on top of a very warm ocean, it’s probably cause for some concern.””