Short Takes – 4-29-25

Spain's blackout: Cyber or Not? An unbiased technical analysis. LinkedIn.com article. Well worth the read pending completion of a real world investigation of the incident. Pull quote: “That said, I don't completely rule out the possibility that this could have been a cyberattack, though I would be extremely surprised...and terrified it were. I sincerely hope that’s not the case.”

Falling vaccine rates could mean millions of measles cases: Study. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “But if vaccination rates drop just 10 percent, there could be 11.1 million measles cases in that same time frame. If vaccination rates drop by 50 percent, there could be 51.2 million cases of measles over the next 25 percent, the study notes.”

'I didn't look too good because I didn't feel too good': NASA astronaut Don Pettit explains why he seemed so unwell after landing. Space.com article. Pull quote: “"Some people can roll off a [space] shuttle flight, and they're ready to go out and have pizza and dance," Pettit said. "Someone like me, coming back to Earth has always been a significant challenge. And even with a 16-day shuttle mission, that felt about like being gone for six months on space station. And that's just my physiology."”

Radian Aerospace lays out its plan to create reusable re-entry vehicle for hypersonic tests. GeekWire.com article. Pull quote: “Radian says the insights gained from R3V’s uncrewed test flights will inform critical elements of the Radian One mission platform, including aerodynamic performance, guidance and control, and the operability of subsystems such as propulsion and thermal protection.”

The Judge Dugan Case Is More Complicated Than It Seems. LawfareMedia.org article. Pull quote: “The facts are obviously not all in for this case charged less than a week ago based on events that occurred less than two weeks ago. But one thing is clear. The competing narratives—that Judge Dugan represents a threat to the rule of law, or that her prosecution does—both sacrifice accuracy and nuance on the altar of political expediency.”

Firefly’s rocket suffers one of the strangest launch failures we’ve ever seen. ArsTechnica.com article. Pull quote: “While Firefly's live video of the launch lacked a clear, stable view of first-stage separation, the appearance of white vapor is a sign that the rocket was likely emitting propellant. It wasn't immediately obvious whether the first stage recontacted the upper stage after separation or if the booster exploded and harmed the upper stage engine.”

EO 14284 - Strengthening Probationary Periods in the Federal Service. Federal Register.

EO 14285 - Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources. Federal Register.