Short Takes – 8-4-25

Why industry says Golden Dome’s biggest challenge isn’t missiles, it’s data flow. SpaceNews.com article.  Pull quote: ““One of the areas that’s complex and potentially very expensive is the government may need to train their own unique secret models that are not known to the adversary,” Biltgen said. “Golden Dome is all about ambiguity. Are the interceptors and sensors in the right place where they can actually intercept? And if you give the adversary enough ambiguity about their success, then they can’t attack you.””

Duffy to announce nuclear reactor on the moon. Politico.com article. Pull quote: “Several companies have risen to meet the space station demand, including Axiom Space, Vast, and Blue Origin. But lawmakers have expressed concern in recent months that the agency is not moving fast enough to give them the funds they need.”

Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for the Nationwide Operation of Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Federal Register DHS notice of availability. Summary: “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces the availability of a draft programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) and its draft finding that the research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) of counter unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), and nationwide C-UAS operational and training activities will not significantly impact the environment. The draft PEA will inform DHS's decision whether to perform such activities with C-UAS nationwide.” Comments due: September 3^rd, 2025.

How Space Construction Will Transform Life on Our Planet. UniverseToday.com article. Pull quote: “As Texas A&M expands its space research facilities and prepares to host the 2026 Earth and Space Conference, the university is positioning itself at the forefront of this construction revolution. The work being done today in labs and research centres will determine how humanity builds both on distant worlds and in our own communities.”