🔥 $42M New Space Accelerator Looks To Establish Space Innovation Pipeline

Good Morning. 

The NATO-Ukraine Defense Innovators Forum in Krakow, Poland, brought together stakeholders from 17 countries to address real-world defense challenges, with a strong focus on drone technology and innovation. Organized by the Defense Innovation Unit with NATO and Ukraine's Brave1, the event featured panel discussions, keynotes, and a hackathon for unmanned aerial system automated visual guidance, where teams competed to develop solutions for low-cost, lightweight drones.

The forum emphasized the importance of rapid innovation and knowledge sharing in military technologies, particularly in attributable systems like drones, drawing on Ukraine's unique expertise gained from recent battlefield experiences. This event underscored the critical role of drones in modern warfare and the need for continuous improvement and adaptation in defense technologies to meet emerging challenges.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

The New Space Alliance, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has launched a $42M accelerator program aimed at boosting commercial space opportunities. The initiative, called the New Space Ignitor, brings together stakeholders from industry, government, and academia to advance space technology and innovation.

The program offers comprehensive support to innovators, including readiness assessments, product development guidance, and marketing assistance. With participants like Goodman vTechnologies and Aphelion Aerospace in its Spring 2024 cohort, the accelerator is fostering cutting-edge technologies that could reshape the commercial space industry.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY & DIPLOMACY

Counterterrorism

• The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered the Court of Appeals to reconsider a case accusing 21 pharmaceutical companies of indirectly funding terrorism in Iraq through corrupt business practices, giving the companies another opportunity to challenge the allegations.

• U.S. AFRICOM Commander Gen. Michael Langley reports a tenfold increase in Islamic jihadist terrorism in Africa over 26 years, discusses threats from China, Russia, and Iran, and outlines changes in U.S. military strategy following the withdrawal from Niger, emphasizing a shift towards security cooperation and capacity-building partnerships across the continent.

Military & Defense

• U.S. Space Command chief Gen. Stephen Whiting has raised alarms about a Russian satellite potentially monitoring U.S. national security satellites in low Earth orbit, possibly as a counter-space weapon. In response, the U.S. is actively preparing for potential attacks on space assets and collaborating with allies through initiatives like Operation Olympic Defender to strengthen space defense strategies.

• The U.S. and Russia are competing for Vietnam's support through high-level diplomatic visits, with U.S. diplomat Daniel Kritenbrink and Russian President Vladimir Putin both traveling to Hanoi to strengthen ties and influence Vietnam's stance on the Ukraine conflict, underscoring the country's strategic importance in Southeast Asian geopolitics.

• The U.S. is withdrawing from its Niger air bases by September 15, with Air Base 101 expected to clear within weeks, according to U.S. Africa Command head Gen. Michael Langley. This withdrawal follows strained relations after a military coup last summer, ending over a decade of U.S. counterterrorism operations in Niger.

• Five European countries (Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, and France) have signed an agreement to jointly acquire over 1,500 Mistral 3 air defense missiles from MBDA through the French defense agency, aiming to streamline procurement, enhance European defense capabilities, and potentially include more countries in the future.

Cybersecurity

• The LockBit ransomware gang claims to have breached the US Federal Reserve, allegedly holding 33 terabytes of sensitive banking data for ransom, with a June 25, 2024 deadline for payment. However, LockBit has a history of making false breach claims and the authenticity of this hack remains unverified.

• Polish prosecutors are intensifying their investigation into the previous government's alleged use of Pegasus spyware to surveil political opponents, seizing evidence and notifying potential victims as part of a broader effort to uncover the scale of the operation.

• Kaspersky's research on 193M English passwords revealed that 45% could be cracked within a minute, while only 23% were resistant enough to take over a year to breach, highlighting the prevalence of weak passwords and the importance of using strong, unique passwords for each service and enabling two-factor authentication.

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• House Committee chairs have requested that the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Energy declassify information from Sandia National Laboratories regarding potential national security threats posed by drones manufactured in China, specifically those made by DJI and Autel Robotics.

• American journalist Evan Gershkovich, detained in Russia for over a year on espionage charges denied by him and the U.S. government, will face trial in Yekaterinburg as the U.S. continues efforts to secure his release and combat arbitrary detentions globally.

• Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly replaced Sergei Beseda, head of the FSB's fifth directorate responsible for intelligence on Ukraine, with Alexei Komkov, potentially signaling a shift in leadership within Russia's security apparatus and possibly paving the way for Sergei Korolev to become the next FSB director.

Transnational Organized Crime

• Mexican cartels are offering "VIP" packages, costing between $6,000 and $15,000 per person, to smuggle migrants across the U.S. southern border through underground tunnels, with cartels using GPS technology and social media to minimize risks and shifting their focus to human smuggling over drug trafficking due to lower risk and higher profitability.

• Extortionists in Peru's city of Trujillo are targeting private schools, highlighting how these institutions have become lucrative targets for organized crime groups due to their steady income and high-profile clientele.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

A NASA spacewalk at the International Space Station was abruptly cancelled shortly after it began when astronaut Tracy Dyson reported a significant water leak from her spacesuit's cooling unit, causing water and ice crystals to spread in the airlock. This incident, along with other recent issues like a previously postponed spacewalk and delays in returning astronauts aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule, highlights ongoing challenges NASA faces with aging equipment and new spacecraft systems.

In other news…

The U.S. Air Force is reviewing plans for its next-gen stealth fighter due to tech advances, budget issues, and new threats. The design may change to include a larger frame or unmanned technologies to meet evolving needs.

U.S. Space Command plans to test data-fusion to create a unified operational picture for warfighters. Commander Whiting stressed the need to improve handling of increasing space data, aiming to enhance current capabilities.

Western University researchers created an anti-counterfeiting material using luminescent nanoparticles that show complex patterns under UV light. This tech offers multi-level security with longer-lasting, brighter patterns that are harder to fake.

DEALS & FUNDING

Penn State's Applied Research Laboratory has been awarded a $1.4B contract modification by the Naval Sea Systems Command to continue technology R&D efforts for various Department of Defense programs. This modification extends the lab's work through February 2028, focusing on areas such as guidance systems, advanced propulsion, materials technology, and defense communications, building upon their initial 10-year, $2.11B contract from 2018.

In other news…

The U.S. Treasury proposes blocking private investments in Chinese AI, quantum, and semiconductor tech to protect national security. This implements Biden's 2023 order while maintaining an open investment environment.

L3Harris won a $998M contract for Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems terminals. The deal covers existing variants for multiple military branches, NATO, and foreign sales, supporting surveillance and command objectives.

Safran is negotiating to buy defense AI startup Preligens for €220M. This acquisition would keep crucial military AI tech for satellite data analysis under French control, supporting France's defense AI focus.

Oshkosh Defense secured a $27.3M U.S. Army contract for 57 Medium Equipment Trailers. These can transport 60-ton combat vehicles and are compatible with Oshkosh's heavy equipment tractor.

Rheinmetall and Anduril are partnering on a counter-drone system for Europe. It combines their technologies to provide a flexible, adaptable defense against unmanned and manned threats.