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Oak Ridge National Lab Licenses Li-ion Battery Additive to Venture-Backed Startup
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Oak Ridge National Lab Licenses Li-ion Battery Additive to Venture-Backed Startup

Oak Ridge National Laboratory has granted Safire Technology Group exclusive rights to commercialize a lithium-ion battery safety additive developed at the Department of Energy-funded research institution.

ORNL invented the SAFe Impact Resistant Electrolyte, which Safire intends to market for use in electric vehicles, and authorized access to five patents for the technology under a licensing deal, the venture-backed company said Tuesday.

The additive works to solidify liquid electrolytes upon kinetic impact and avert fire and explosion in the event of an EV crash. It is designed for ground as well as vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and other electric-powered defense equipment.

A team of ORNL researchers produced the technology in collaboration with the University of Rochester using funds from the laboratory and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

The government-backed development project and a Fedtech-sponsored commercialization initiative led to the formation of Safire.

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Biden Admin, Industry Partners Conclude Nationwide Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Sprint
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Biden Admin, Industry Partners Conclude Nationwide Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Sprint

The Biden administration has concluded a nationwide cybersecurity apprenticeship sprint that resulted in the hiring of more than 7,000 apprentices and the creation of new programs and cybersecurity-related positions by participating partners.

Program sponsors, including CompTIA and IBM, and federal agencies have added 120 cybersecurity-related jobs to pre-existing and new Registered Apprenticeship programs, the White House said Tuesday.

CompTIA has created 5 cybersecurity-focused occupations for a new career pathway program, dubbed CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech while IBM has expanded its existing Apprenticeship Program with the addition of 30 new roles in areas such as data science, design and cybersecurity.

Cisco has become a new national Registered Apprenticeship sponsor and will use its Networking Academy program to connect work-ready apprentices with public and private businesses looking to hire for key technology positions.

The 120-day apprenticeship sprint was initiated in July by the Biden administration and its collaborators with the aim of strengthening the nation’s cybersecurity workforce.

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Asad Ramzanali Named OSTP Chief of Staff
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Asad Ramzanali Named OSTP Chief of Staff

Asad Ramzanali, a public policy expert with combined public and private sector experience, has been selected to succeed Marc Aidinoff as chief of staff at the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Ramzanali joined OSTP in May as director of legislative affairs after serving as a legislative director and senior technology policy adviser for Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., a senior member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the White House said Tuesday.

He also served as a legislative fellow focused on banking and technology policy for Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, while his industry career included roles such as manager of corporate strategy and development at finance software developer Intuit.

Aidinoff has served as a senior adviser and acting OSTP chief of staff before taking on the role on a permanent basis in January.

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Space Command Creates Combined Joint Task Force-Space Operations
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Space Command Creates Combined Joint Task Force-Space Operations

Army Gen. James Dickinson, head of U.S. Space Command, has formed a new entity that seeks to ensure unity of effort among operations of two functional components, Combined Force Space Component Command and Joint Task Force-Space Defense.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Thomas James, most recently head of the Joint Task Force-Space Defense, will serve as interim commander of the newly established Combined Joint Task Force-Space Operations, USSPACECOM said Tuesday.

“The standup of CJTF-SO allows us to operate at the speed of conflict, while providing USSPACECOM the flexibility to focus on supported and supporting requirements,” said James.

“CJTF-SO will serve at the operational level of command as the space functional component to USSPACECOM, with tactical control of presented space forces,” he added.

CJTF-SO will carry out warfighting operations as stated in Joint Publication-1. CFSCC and JTF-SD and their operations centers will report to the newly formed organization.

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Former NSA Official Teresa Shea Added to Cigent Board of Directors; John Benkert Quoted
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Former NSA Official Teresa Shea Added to Cigent Board of Directors; John Benkert Quoted

Teresa Shea, an experienced government and private sector official specializing in intelligence and cybersecurity, has been appointed to the board of directors of Cigent Technology.

The Fort Myers, Florida-based security program maker said Wednesday that it hopes to utilize Shea’s extensive knowledge culled from decades spent at organizations such as the National Security Agency, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and In-Q-Tel.

Cigent CEO John Benkert, who also worked at NSA, praised Shea’s command of said subject matter and explained that the incoming executive has been a proponent of Cigent’s offerings for years and assisted the organization establish partnerships with several government customers.

“She will provide valuable guidance as we work to develop new relationships with government agencies and fulfill our mission of ending ransomware attacks and data theft, as well as compliance for business and government,” Benkert added.

At NSA, Shea held roles of increasing responsibility, climbing the ladder to ultimately hold the position of signals intelligence director. After closing out her over three-decade NSA tenure, Shea transitioned to the private sector to work at strategic investment organization In-Q-Tel as its executive vice president of technology, helping to lead the company’s objective to invest in innovative start-ups that avail the U.S. Intelligence Community.

Following her stint at In-Q-Tel, Shea was vice president of cyber offense defense experts-CODEX for Raytheon Intelligence & Space. In the past, she has served as an advisor on the boards of MITRE Corporation and the Virginia Tech Hume Center and currently presides on the Electrical and Computer Engineering School Board at Georgia Institute of Technology, the school from which she holds her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

Shea is poised to share her understanding gleaned from working in both government and industry with Cigent as the company works to aid government agencies, especially the Department of Defense, with the safeguarding of its data and information. The executive reportedly sees a future for the company with private sector clients as well.

DOE Opens Application for $250M Clean Energy Loan Program; Jennifer Granholm Quoted
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DOE Opens Application for $250M Clean Energy Loan Program; Jennifer Granholm Quoted

The Department of Energy has begun accepting applications for a new program that seeks to help U.S. states and territories put in place revolving loan funds for energy efficiency and initiate clean energy upgrade projects.

DOE said Tuesday the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has allocated $250 million in formula funding through the Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Capitalization Grant Program to improve the energy efficiency of existing commercial and residential buildings.

40 percent of the funding is allocated to all state energy offices and the remaining 60 percent is distributed to a group of priority states.

According to DOE, states can allot one-quarter of the funding for grants and technical assistance to small businesses and low-income homeowners as well as prioritize loan applications from disadvantaged communities.

“By expanding access to energy efficiency upgrades for American families and small to medium-sized businesses, we will generate energy savings and deliver cleaner air, helping states and historically underserved communities experience the broad benefits of energy efficiency,” commented Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

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NASA’s SLS Rocket With Boeing-Made Core Stage Launches as Part of Artemis I Mission
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NASA’s SLS Rocket With Boeing-Made Core Stage Launches as Part of Artemis I Mission

A NASA rocket equipped with a Boeing-built core stage took off Wednesday from a launch complex at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to send the unmanned Orion spacecraft, built by Lockheed Martin, on a maiden flight around the moon as part of the Artemis I mission.

Artemis I is an uncrewed flight test designed to assess the performance of the Space Launch System rocket and the capabilities of Orion, Boeing said Wednesday.

The core stage separated from the rocket’s upper stage less than 10 minutes after launch and demonstrated several functions, such as igniting the engines, actuating the hydraulic system and fueling both tanks.

The 212-foot-long core stage is composed of an engine section with four RS-25 engines, liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks and intertank section that links the two fuel tanks.

A team at Boeing is developing the core stages at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Core Stage-2 will be used to launch the first manned Artemis mission, while CS-3 is expected to support the mission meant to land astronauts on the lunar surface.

Jim Chilton, senior vice president of Boeing’s space and launch division, said the launch reflects the availability of a “super-heavy lift launch capability” and that the company is ready to support NASA and its international partners in supporting manned missions to explore deep space.

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Johns Hopkins APL Unveils Cislunar Security National Technical Vision
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Johns Hopkins APL Unveils Cislunar Security National Technical Vision

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory has issued a 75-page report outlining its technical vision for advancing security in cislunar space, which comprises the region between the moon and the Earth’s geosynchronous orbit.

The report titled Cislunar Security National Technical Vision tackles national needs in cislunar policy and strategy and discusses technological capabilities needed to ensure stability, transparency and safety in the cislunar region, such as space situational awareness; communications; position, navigation and timing; and reconstitution of space-based capabilities, APL said Monday.

“Our goal is to make a critical contribution in pushing forward the national dialogue around the policy and technology development for cislunar security,” said Steve Parr, a program manager at APL’s space exploration sector and section author and co-editor of the technical vision.

The report offers recommendations for advancing technological developments. To make cislunar PNT service a reality, the document recommends that the Department of Defense should allocate funds to take part in trade studies with NASA to come up with an architecture that meets the needs of the two agencies, leverage the Space Development Agency to rapidly develop capabilities and innovate existing technologies.

Parr and his colleagues created the technical vision by analyzing findings from discussions during the first two Cislunar Security conferences held in 2020 and 2021 and identifying three comprehensive needs for cislunar security: the need for international norms of behavior in cislunar space and lunar surface; need for enhanced space situational awareness; and ability to address norm violations.

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GAO: DOD Should Designate Entity to Oversee Cyber Incident Reporting
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GAO: DOD Should Designate Entity to Oversee Cyber Incident Reporting

The Government Accountability Office has recommended that the Department of Defense assign responsibility for ensuring cyber incident reporting and document when individuals affected by a breach of personally identifiable information were notified.

Although DOD has reduced the number of cyber incidents, GAO found weaknesses in reporting such incidents, including incomplete data and failure to notify leaders of critical incidents, and that the department did not designate an entity that should oversee cyber incident reporting, according to a report published Monday.

“Until DOD assigns such responsibility, DOD does not have assurance that its leadership has an accurate picture of the department’s cybersecurity posture,” the GAO report reads.

The congressional watchdog said the Pentagon should also improve sharing of cyber incident information related to the defense industrial base and include detailed procedures for determining and informing leaders of critical cyber events in guidance.

According to GAO, DOD has come up with a process for managing all cyber incidents and another one for critical incidents but has not fully conducted either of these two methods.

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Eric Goldstein: 3 Security Advisory Systems Can Help Advance Vulnerability Management Practices
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Eric Goldstein: 3 Security Advisory Systems Can Help Advance Vulnerability Management Practices

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is working with government and private sector entities to advance and automate vulnerability management in all kinds of U.S. organizations, said Eric Goldstein, CISA’s executive assistant director for cybersecurity.

In a blog post published Monday, Goldstein mentioned the Common Security Advisory Framework, the Vulnerability Exploitability eXchange security advisory, and Stakeholder Specific Vulnerability Categorization system as some elements of its strategy to help improve defenses against software and hardware weaknesses.

Goldstein recommended the expanded use of CSAF, a standard that enables machine-readable representation of information in security advisories. He said the framework will not only automate but also significantly shorten the time it takes to understand the impact of a newly identified vulnerability, formulate remediation processes and communicate the flaw to end users.

VEX, another form of security advisory, can detect if a particular product is affected by a system weakness. Goldstein suggested that vendors can help streamline vulnerability investigations by issuing VEX advisories that indicate whether an organization is at risk.

CISA is encouraging organizations to use SSVC as a guide for prioritizing a known system flaw and its corresponding remediation procedure. The agency created an SSVC webpage containing a decision tree, published a guide and set up a calculator to assist institutions in prioritization.

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