Short Takes – 7-1-25

China Strikes Hard: Chinese Satellite Pulverizes Starlink With a 2-Watt Laser 36,000 KM From Earth. DailyGalaxy.com article. Pull quote: “With the continued development of these techniques, satellite-based laser communications could soon surpass traditional radio frequency systems, offering greater bandwidth, faster speeds, and reduced latency. This breakthrough not only demonstrates the potential of Chinese research but also highlights the growing competition in the race to dominate the future of space-based communications.”

Ax-4 Mission Update: Flight Day #5. AxiomSpace.com blog post. Pull quote: “Suave contributed to the Microfluidic Design experiment, using the Keyence Research Microscope Testbed (KERMIT)  imaging to study fluid dynamics in microgravity. The goal of this study is to develop microfluidic devices that can test drug stability and quality — a vital step toward autonomous healthcare in space.”

Senator Chides FBI for Weak Advice on Mobile Security. KrebsOnSecurity.com article. Pull quote: ““This is insufficient to protect Senate employees and other high-value targets against foreign spies using advanced cyber tools,” Wyden wrote in a letter sent today to FBI Director Kash Patel. “Well-funded foreign intelligence agencies do not have to rely on phishing messages and malicious attachments to infect unsuspecting victims with spyware. Cyber mercenary companies sell their government customers advanced ‘zero-click’ capabilities to deliver spyware that do not require any action by the victim.”

After Iran-Israel clash, there’s more reason to fear a nuclear bomb. WashingtonPost.com article. Pull quote: “Analysts suggest it wouldn’t take much for Iran to go from there toward weaponization. “A single cascade of 174 IR-6 centrifuges could produce a bomb’s worth of 90% highly enriched uranium from the 60% enriched material, whose location is unknown, in 10-20 days,” wrote James Acton, co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Iran doesn’t need to rebuild enrichment facilities on their previous scale to get the bomb.””

Bird Flu is far from over: Why the worst could be yet to come. TheHill.com commentary. Pull quote: “Rollins is now also following industry talking points on opposing vaccines for our poultry supply. Mass vaccination has been successful at limiting the spread in other countries, such as France, and the United Nations has encouraged vaccinations in its recent call for governments to step up their response.”

U.S. Key data used in hurricane forecasting will be cut by end of July, NOAA says. CSBNews.com article. Pull quote: “In an email that the agency reposted online, the deputy director of its Office of Satellite and Product Operations said the Navy decided to implement that change in efforts "to mitigate a significant cybersecurity risk" but would continue to distribute the data through the end of next month. A Navy spokesperson told CBS News in an email that it is "discontinuing contributions" to the satellite program "given the program no longer meets our information technology modernization requirements."” End-of-Life lack of support.

LeoLabs secures U.S. military funding for missile-tracking mobile radar. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “LeoLabs introduced its Scout radar in April as a containerized, mobile S-band system designed for military applications and partially funded by a Small Business Innovation Research contract. Unlike fixed installations, mobile radars can be rapidly deployed and repositioned — a capability the Pentagon has identified as increasingly critical in contested environments.”