Short Takes – 3-26-25

Should we be concerned about the loss of weather balloons? ArsTechnica.com article. Consequences of NWS cuts. Pull quote: “I don’t want to overstate things. Weather forecasts aren’t going to dramatically degrade day to day because we’ve reduced some balloon launches across the country. They will degrade, but the general public probably won’t notice much difference 90 percent of the time. But that 10 percent of the time? It’s not that the differences will be gigantic. But the impact of those differences could very well be gigantic, put more people in harm’s way, and increase the risk profile for an awful lot of people. That’s what this does: It increases the risk profile, it will lead to reduced weather forecast skill scores, and it may lead to an event that surprises a portion of the population that isn’t used to be surprised in the 2020s. To me, that makes the value of weather balloons very, very significant, and I find these cuts to be extremely troubling.”

If "masks work", why don't they work? New research suggests the reason. EmilyBurns.Substack.com article. A readable discussion about mask efficiency studies. Pull quote: “However, protection depends on compliance. When considering the impact of "breaks,” a randomized controlled trial from 2013, found that N95’s did reduce the risk of disease, but only if worn continuously, without breaks— the protection effects disappear once breaks are introduced. This squares well with the data above, which would suggest that “mask breaks” of any kind are akin to punching a giant hole in the bottom of your boat.” In short: I am protected if I wear a mask, but not nearly so much if you wear a mask.

Gravitics wins SpaceWERX award for tactically responsive space system. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: ““The Orbital Carrier is a game-changer, acting as a pre-positioned launch pad in space,” said Colin Doughan, chief executive of Gravitics, in a statement. “It bypasses traditional launch constraints, enabling space vehicle operators to rapidly select a deployment orbit on-demand.””

Top Republicans Rebuff Trump’s Demand to Impeach Judges. WSJ.com article. Pull quote: “Issa said he believes his bill has enough support to pass. But nationwide injunctions can stymie administrations of either party, and some Republicans don’t want to give up a tool that might help restrain a future Democratic president.”

The Atlantic releases the entire Signal chat showing Hegseth’s detailed attack plans against Houthis. APNews.com article. Pull quote: “Hegseth has refused to say whether he posted classified information onto Signal. He is traveling in the Indo-Pacific and to date has only scoffed at questions, saying he did not reveal “war plans.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday that it was up to Hegseth to determine whether the information he was posting was classified or not.” Article about Atlantic Article which is paywalled.

Moog Ships Meteor Satellite Buses for National Security Space Mission. SpaceNews.com published press release. Pull quote: ““The shipment of our Meteor satellite buses is a culmination of decades of experience in advanced systems and component heritage, investment in innovative solutions, and our unwavering commitment to protecting the warfighter,” said Mark Covelli, Senior Vice President of Space. “We are continuing internal research and development programs to enhance the capabilities of our buses, including software development, radiation shielding, edge computing, and longer life in all orbits.””

Trump administration revokes state and local health funding. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: ““While [these grants] can support keeping people from getting sick or dying with COVID-19, they also prevent them from getting sick or dying from other diseases as well. So it has a ripple effect across public health practice,” said Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs at the National Association of County & City Health Officials.”

‘Like a forest fire’: Where large measles outbreaks will occur, according to an epidemiologist. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “Three areas of the U.S. (so far) are experiencing what the CDC characterizes as a measles outbreak, which are three or more cases related to each other. The largest is in West Texas, followed by New Mexico and Kansas.”

EO 14244 - Addressing Remedial Action by Paul Weiss. Federal Register.