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Brad Smith: Microsoft Report Cites Cyber Lessons From Ukraine War, Highlights 4 Tenets to Combat Russian Cyberthreats
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Brad Smith: Microsoft Report Cites Cyber Lessons From Ukraine War, Highlights 4 Tenets to Combat Russian Cyberthreats

Brad Smith, president and vice chair of Microsoft, said the company’s new intelligence report offers five cybersecurity conclusions from the ongoing war in Ukraine and one is that defense against military invasion requires the capability to distribute and disburse data assets and digital operations into other countries.

“Second, recent advances in cyber threat intelligence and end-point protection have helped Ukraine withstand a high percentage of destructive Russian cyberattacks,” Smith wrote in the foreword of the report “Defending Ukraine: Early Lessons from the Cyber War.”

The report, published Wednesday, states that Russian intelligence agencies have ramped up espionage and network penetration activities against allied governments and carried out cyber influence initiatives worldwide to back their war efforts.

Lessons from the war in Ukraine demand a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to build up defenses against cyber influence, espionage and destructive operations, according to Smith.

He noted the four tenets to counter Russian cyberthreats are using digital tactics and technology to fight such threats; relying on public-private collaboration; embracing the need for multilateral collaboration among governments to safeguard democratic societies; and upholding free expression in democratic societies.

These four tenets should be supported with a comprehensive strategy to fight Russian cyber influence operations: detect, disrupt, defend against and deter foreign cyberthreats, Smith added.

Second Annual Defense Cyber Forum

Microsoft Federal is a sponsor of GovCon Wire Events’ 2nd Annual Defense Cyber Forum on July 12. Visit the GCW Events page to learn more about the incoming virtual forum, which will feature Lt. Gen. Maria Barrett, commanding general of U.S. Army Cyber Command, as the keynote speaker.

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Maj. Gen. Ross Coffman Confirmed as Army Futures Command Deputy Chief
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Maj. Gen. Ross Coffman Confirmed as Army Futures Command Deputy Chief

The Senate confirmed U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Ross Coffman, director of the service’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team, to serve as deputy commander of Army Futures Command, Defense News reported Friday.

He led the annual Project Convergence exercise, which seeks to identify technological development areas that the service needs to focus on, as head of NGCV CFT, which oversees the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle program as part of its portfolio.

Coffman also operated an initiative called Project Quarterback, which sought to match future combat vehicles with automated target recognition. He previously served as deputy commanding general for maneuver in the 1st Infantry Division in Eastern Europe.

The military branch has yet to name its candidate to oversee NGCV CFT.

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HHS Advances Environmental Justice With 13 Programs for Biden’s Justice40 Initiative
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HHS Advances Environmental Justice With 13 Programs for Biden’s Justice40 Initiative

The Department of Health and Human Services has announced 13 programs for inclusion in President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which was launched as part of the administration’s commitment to environmental justice.

The Justice40 Initiative calls for federal agencies to deliver 40 percent of benefits of clean energy, sustainable and affordable housing, clean water and other climate-related investments to disadvantaged communities, HHS said Friday.

“Ranging from worker training programs to assistance for energy and water costs, these programs aim to ensure no one is left behind as we work to advance health equity for all people living in the United States,” said Adm. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at HHS.

The HHS programs are:

POC - Prioritizing Environmental Justice in a Changing Climate Forum

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s Prioritizing Environmental Justice in a Changing Climate Forum on July 20 to hear experts as they discuss the federal government’s Justice40 Initiative and environmental justice challenges with respect to public health, natural resources, energy and finance, community involvement and infrastructure.

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Mike Kaplan Appointed VP of Business Development at LeoStella; CEO Mike Hettich Quoted
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Mike Kaplan Appointed VP of Business Development at LeoStella; CEO Mike Hettich Quoted

Former NASA and Raytheon Technologies executive Mike Kaplan has joined satellite constellation manufacturing company LeoStella as vice president of business development.

In his new role, Kaplan will be expected to capture new business and manage customer relationships, capitalizing on his deep knowledge of space systems and technologies, the Tukwila, Washington-headquartered company said Thursday.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mike to the LeoStella executive team…Mike’s addition to our company will help strengthen our position as a leader in small satellite constellation design and delivery,” shared Mike Hettich, CEO of LeoStella.

With broad work experience spanning both the public and private sectors, Kaplan began his career at the Naval Research Laboratory’s Naval Center for Space Technology, where he eventually became advanced concepts section head. Subsequently, he worked for seven years at NASA, where he redesigned and administered the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy program and incepted and oversaw the Terrestrial Planet Finder, among other accomplishments.

Over the years, Kaplan has also held senior leadership roles at Boeing, Raytheon Technologies, Ball Aerospace and Belcan, the latter of which was his most recent position before coming to LeoStella. At Belcan, he was vice president of new business development for the defense and space division.

Kaplan’s specialties include systems engineering, program management, strategic planning, contract negotiations and process improvement and he has fostered a particular focus in recent years on low earth orbit satellite constellations.

His work has additionally centered on supporting research behind technologies like spacecraft subsystems, spacecraft buses, planetary landers and robotic satellite servicers.

The executive’s counsel has been sought after by industry organizations and interest groups such as the AIAA Small Satellite and Space Systems Technical Committees, Space SMART think tank and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Kaplan said in a statement that he looks forward to meeting rising market interest in small satellites as VP of business development for LeoStella, adding that “The company has an established track record of delivering highly reliable and commercially operational satellites across a range of missions.”

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Hughes Launches High-Speed Internet via LEO Network at Greenland Air Base
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Hughes Launches High-Speed Internet via LEO Network at Greenland Air Base

Satellite communications company Hughes has completed its installation of a low earth orbit network at an air base in Greenland.

The roughly 600 workers who reside at Thule Air Base are now able to access high-speed broadband internet for the first time thanks to Hughes and project partner the Air Force Research Lab, the Germantown, Maryland-headquartered company said Wednesday.

Brian Beal, program manager at the AFRL, noted that the connectivity experimentation in Thule proposes the legitimacy of LEO networks as a viable option for outposts whose remoteness makes easy internet access tricky.

“The residents at Thule have been thrilled with both the performance and stability of the network as they’ve used it to connect with family, friends, and colleagues around the world,” Beal continued.

Working in unison, Hughes and the AFRL reportedly overcame challenges of extreme climate — as the Thule base is situated at the most northern point of any U.S. military entity in the world — to realize the goal. They employed site surveys and consulted the base logistics teams to clear the environmental hurdles.

A team of Hughes engineers developed, implemented and launched the LEO network at Thule through the company’s OneWeb constellation of satellites. The set-up includes four antennae that bring in nearly 14 terabytes of data per month. 

Now, with the access provided by the LEO connectivity, Thule Air Base personnel can use the internet to perform experiments, video conference, stream video, contact friends and occupy virtual private networks.

In April, it was announced that in conjunction with OneWeb Technologies, Hughes will deliver low earth orbit data to the Department of Defense. This deal came about as a result of the company’s successful launch of the LEO communications network in Thule.
 

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NASA Announces Launch Delay for Psyche Asteroid Mission; Thomas Zurbuchen Quoted
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NASA Announces Launch Delay for Psyche Asteroid Mission; Thomas Zurbuchen Quoted

NASA announced on Friday that the agency will not make its planned 2022 launch for its Psyche asteroid mission, the first mission designed to study a metal-rich asteroid, as a result of the late delivery of the spacecraft’s flight software and testing equipment.

“NASA takes the cost and schedule commitments of its projects and programs very seriously,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “We are exploring options for the mission in the context of the Discovery Program, and a decision on the path forward will be made in the coming months.”

Originally set for launch on Oct. 11th, NASA needs more time to ensure that the software will function properly in flight. The independent assessment team will review possible options for next steps, including estimated costs.

The flight software will control the orientation of the spacecraft as it flies through space, sends data back to Earth and receives commands. It also provides trajectory information to the spacecraft’s solar electric propulsion system, which begins operations 70 days after launch.

“Flying to a distant metal-rich asteroid, using Mars for a gravity assist on the way there, takes incredible precision. We must get it right. Hundreds of people have put remarkable effort into Psyche during this pandemic, and the work will continue as the complex flight software is thoroughly tested and assessed,” said JPL Director Laurie Leshin. “The decision to delay the launch wasn’t easy, but it is the right one.”

The next potential launch points for the Psyche asteroid mission could be as early as 2023 or be pushed back to 2024. However, the space travel logistics mean the spacecraft would not arrive at the asteroid until 2029 and 2030, respectively.

NASA selected Psyche in 2017 as part of the agency’s Discovery Program, a line of low-cost, competitive missions. The agency is forming an independent assessment team to review the path forward for the project.

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DOE to Create New Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute
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DOE to Create New Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute

The Department of Energy is creating a new Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute that will focus on advancing the decarbonization of the U.S. industrial sector by electrifying process heating.

DOE said Thursday the new manufacturing institute will allocate up to $70 million over the next five years to fund research and development projects focused on low-carbon process heating technologies.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office will fund the institute, which will work alongside the new Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee. Together, they will convene representatives from government, industry and academia to advance industrial decarbonization technologies.

“Our newest institute and federal advisory committee will foster innovation to slash industrial emissions and strengthen America’s role as a leader in the global clean energy economy,” said Kelly Speakes-Backman, principal deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The secretary of Energy will appoint up to 20 members for the federal advisory committee and the nomination period is open until Aug. 1.

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Pentagon Announces Additional $450M in Security Assistance to Ukraine
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Pentagon Announces Additional $450M in Security Assistance to Ukraine

The Department of Defense has announced that the U.S. will provide an additional $450 million in security assistance to Ukraine to help the country boost its military defenses against Russian invasion.

J. Todd Breasseale, deputy assistant to the secretary for public affairs at DOD, said in a statement published Thursday the U.S. military will send four additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, 18 coastal and riverine patrol boats, additional ammunition and spare parts.

The latest package is the thirteenth drawdown of military equipment from the Pentagon’s inventories since August 2021 and brings the total U.S. security assistance to Ukraine to nearly $6.8 billion since the beginning of the Biden administration, the majority of which

The security assistance comes as the European Union grants Ukraine a candidate status, a move which Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy calls as a “historical moment” in his country’s relations with the EU.

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White House Creates Federal-State Partnership to Drive Offshore Wind Development; Jennifer Granholm Quoted
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White House Creates Federal-State Partnership to Drive Offshore Wind Development; Jennifer Granholm Quoted

The Biden administration is collaborating with 11 East Coast governors in efforts to grow the domestic offshore wind supply chain.

Officials for the Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership will endorse commitments aimed at expanding component manufacturing hubs, port structures and logistics processes necessary for wind project installation and workforce development, the White House said Thursday.

The forum, dubbed as “first of a kind” by the administration, is part of President Biden’s efforts toward achieving his national goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030.

Governors who will work with administration officials through the initiative are from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

The Department of Energy will lead the development of a comprehensive roadmap to help identify and address the sector’s supply chain requirements.

“Working together – states and the federal government – we can blow the lid off our growing domestic offshore wind industry and get us to our clean energy future faster,” said DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

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CISA Posts Updated Cloud Security Technical Reference Architecture
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CISA Posts Updated Cloud Security Technical Reference Architecture

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has released the second version of “Cloud Security Technical Reference Architecture” in an effort to provide guidance for secure cloud migration.

CISA said Thursday the document is aimed at supporting President Biden’s executive order for enhancing U.S. cybersecurity and is designed to define and clarify considerations for cloud security posture management, cloud migration and shared services.

“The updated Cloud Security TRA is a key step forward for each agency’s transition to cloud environment. CISA and our partners will continue to provide expert, coherent, and timely guidance to help agencies modernize their networks with sound cybersecurity and resilience to protect against evolving cyber adversaries,” said Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at CISA.

The TRA is written by CISA, the U.S. Digital Service and Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program. They consulted with the Office of Management and Budget and considered over 300 public comments to author the version.

“While the TRA was developed for federal agencies, all organizations using or migrating to cloud environments should review this document and adopt the practices therein as applicable to most effectively manage organizational risk,” said Goldstein.

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