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108 Articles

Space and Space Technologies

Australian HEO Enables the Use of Planet Satellites to Image Objects in Space

HEO has signed an agreement with Planet to use high-resolution SkySat satellites to image spacecraft and space objects instead of limiting them to Earth observation. The images will initially be available to HEO’s U.S. government customers because of licensing restrictions.

2026-08-17

Cybersecurity

Microsoft Working on a Patch for the ShieldBreak Vulnerability in Defender

Microsoft has begun preparing a security update to address a privilege escalation vulnerability in Microsoft Defender, tracked as CVE-2026-69414, after a security researcher published an exploit proof of concept on updated Windows systems. Exploitation requires local access and limited privileges, and Defender must be enabled for the privilege escalation to succeed.

2026-08-17

Space and Space Technologies

SEOPS Adds Second Mission for Waymaker Rideshare Launch Services on Falcon 9

SEOPS announced the Waymaker-1 mission to launch payloads into a mid-inclination orbit in early 2028, following increased demand for the Waymaker-2 mission planned for a sun-synchronous orbit late the same year. The company is thereby repurposing a mission originally intended for a rideshare launch to geostationary transfer orbit.

2026-08-17

Space and Space Technologies

L3Harris appoints Sam Mehta as CEO after Christopher Kubasik steps down

L3Harris Technologies appointed Sam Mehta as chief executive officer and chairman of its board after Christopher Kubasik stepped down following a board investigation into conduct the company said violated its code of conduct. The change comes as the company reorganizes its businesses and prepares for an expected increase in U.S. spending on missile defense and national security space programs.

2026-08-17

Cloud Computing and Data Centers

AWS Highlights Updates Including EC2 Application Health Checks and OpenAI Daybreak Support on Bedrock

In its weekly report, AWS reviewed a range of launches and updates, most notably application health checks in EC2, an IAM Role Manager, and the availability of the OpenAI Daybreak cyber defense initiative to eligible customers through Amazon Bedrock. It also announced updates for OpenSearch, Valkey, SageMaker, and AWS Certificate Manager.

2026-08-17

Space and Space Technologies

ULA Appoints Mark Peller as New CEO Amid Vulcan Rocket Challenges

United Launch Alliance has appointed Mark Peller as the company’s president and chief executive officer, effective immediately, succeeding John Elbon, who will retire at the end of the year. The appointment comes as ULA faces a pause in Vulcan launches and financial pressure related to a problem with one of its rocket boosters.

2026-08-17

Electric Cars

Kia Launches the EV3 GT Electric Vehicle in the United States with a Starting Price of $45,890

Kia’s highest-specification EV3 GT sports version joins the U.S. electric vehicle market with two motors, all-wheel drive, and 288 horsepower, along with dedicated design and technology features. Its price starts at $45,890, while the base model starts at $29,890.

2026-08-17

Robotics and Automation

Nevada Allows Tesla to Operate 10 Robotaxis in Las Vegas Instead of 5,000

The Nevada Transportation Authority granted Tesla a permit to operate autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas, but limited the initial fleet to just 10 cars within an approved geographic area and prohibited service at Harry Reid Airport. Tesla had requested permission to operate up to 5,000 vehicles in Clark County during its first year.

2026-08-17

Startups

Sonic Fire Tech Raises $15 Million to Develop an Acoustic Fire-Suppression System

The U.S. startup Sonic Fire Tech has raised $15 million to develop a system that uses low-frequency sound waves to extinguish fires within seconds, without relying on water or chemicals. The round will fund hiring and the tests required to obtain approval from the National Fire Protection Association.

2026-08-17

Space and Space Technologies

Lynk and Omnispace Merge Under the Name Elveo Mobile to Expand Direct-to-Device Connectivity Services

Lynk Global and Omnispace completed their merger after receiving regulatory approvals and launched Elveo Mobile, a company combining Lynk’s direct-to-device connectivity platform with 60 megahertz of S-band spectrum. The company aims to move from limited messaging and alerts to more advanced data services through partnerships with mobile network operators.

2026-08-17

Energy and Green Technologies

ForeFront Power Commissions Its First Solar Project Using Direct-Mount Technology in the City of Fresno

ForeFront Power announced the commercial operation of its first solar system using Erthos Earth Mount Solar technology at the Northeast Surface Water Treatment Plant in the U.S. city of Fresno. Since beginning operation in late March 2026, the system has generated 101% of projections and delivered 862 megawatt-hours to the city.

2026-08-16

Space and Space Technologies

Satellite Operators Secure Launch Flights Amid a Capacity-Constrained Market

Satellite operators are rushing to reserve launch flights through 2028, despite uncertainty over the schedules of some vehicles, amid capacity constraints and concerns about cuts to rideshare programs. AST SpaceMobile says it has booked enough launches to complete its initial constellation, but the return of New Glenn and the availability of other alternatives remain decisive factors.

2026-08-16

Electric Cars

Ferrari’s First Electric Car Sold for $40 Million at Charity Auction

Ferrari’s first electric car, known as Luce and bearing Chassis 0, sold for $40 million at the RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterey—more than 36 times its presale estimate. The entire amount will go to the Ferrari Foundation, while delivery to the buyer is expected in the first quarter of 2027.

2026-08-16

Artificial intelligence

Dario Amodei: The Backlash Against AI Is a Crisis of Trust, Not a Messaging Crisis

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei rejected blaming warnings from AI leaders for growing public skepticism and regulatory hardening, saying the deeper problem is an accumulated crisis of trust between the public, companies, and governments. Amodei defended regulation of the AI sector, saying appropriate rules could limit the technology’s risks and the influence of major companies without closing the field to competitors or open-weight models.

2026-08-16

Space and Space Technologies

Two U.S. Defense Agencies Select Three Companies to Study Satellite Deorbiting Services

The Defense Innovation Unit and the U.S. Space Development Agency selected D-Orbit, Firefly Aerospace, and Katalyst Space to study a commercial service for capturing aging, unprepared-for-servicing satellites and removing them from orbit. The agencies will assess technical maturity, schedule, and cost before deciding on an in-orbit demonstration.

2026-08-16

Space and Space Technologies

NASA Prepares to Award Three New Lunar Missions, Including an Orbiter to Replace the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

NASA intends to award three new task orders under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program before the end of the year, including two landing missions and an orbital lunar-survey mission that could pave the way for replacing the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

2026-08-15

Quantum Computing

Researchers Demonstrate Reliable Quantum Progress Through Built-In Verification of Quantum Computing

IBM announced results from three research papers that demonstrated quantitative computations in regimes where classical simulation is infeasible, using methods to verify the reliability of the results or the computation process itself. The work included collaborations with the University of Chicago, Qedma, RIKEN, BlueQubit, and Algorithmiq.

2026-08-15

Quantum Computing

IBM Explains the Role of Spin Qubits Following Acquisition Agreement for HRL Laboratories

IBM said that HRL Laboratories’ expertise in engineering silicon spin qubits will support its plan to scale quantum computing. The company explains how these qubits work and their advantages, along with initial results from a system containing up to 18 qubits.

2026-08-15