© AP
The normally genteel world of international space policy turned ugly this week as several prominent US space companies—including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, K2, and Starcloud—pulled out of a high-profile French space summit organized by the country's president, Emmanuel Macron.
Politico first reported the diplomatic turmoil, saying that the White House "pressured" US space companies to skip Macron's space summit in Paris next week. Since then, the companies have largely pulled out of the meeting without commenting publicly, though some US representation remains on the two-day program.
Multiple sources confirmed to Ars that an official with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, or OSTP, led the call with US space companies late last week. The call was convened in response to queries from US industry about the French meeting, which is not part of the traditional circuit of international space conferences.
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Australian researchers have built a 3D-printed titanium structure that floats in water and keeps floating even after significant damage, according to a study led by RMIT University. The material is a lattice made of hollow, interconnected titanium struts filled with polyurethane foam. Researchers said it withstands seawater exposure and is stronger than the stainless steel […]As children, many of us looked wistfully into the cockpits of heavy machinery, wondering just how the series of knobs and levers would do something like operate a bulldozer, crane, or excavator. The nature of these myriad of hydraulic and electronic controls for equipment like this is often inscrutable to adults as well; it takes a considerable amount of training to be able to competently operate most of these machines. But this new controller from MIT may help shorten that training time.
The controller is specifically meant for excavators. In a standard excavator, a pair of joysticks is typically used, with one controlling the swing and the boom and the other controlling the stick and the bucket. Getting used to this combination can take practice, so instead the group of researchers replaced them with a model excavator arm that the operator controls directly with their own arm. The new controller is more intuitive to use as it translates the movements of the model to that of either a real excavator or a training simulation.
The researchers plan to include haptic feedback in future versions, which will hopefully further increase the ease of which new operators can get a feel for using these machines. For those not working towards a new career or an ambitious weekend with rental equipment, there are some other ways of learning how to operate excavators and other pieces of heavy machinery.
International Cyber Expo has announced a new line-up of speakers and sessions for its Global Cyber Summit, with discussions set to tackle some of the biggest issues facing cybersecurity leaders.
Sponsored by Huntress, the Global Cyber Summit will bring together senior security professionals, government representatives and industry experts at Olympia London on 29 and 30 September 2026. The latest sessions will explore the changing role of the CISO, the human impact of major cyber incidents, China’s role in cyberspace and the security challenges surrounding artificial intelligence.
The first of the newly announced sessions on 29 September will be Debbie Janeczek, CISO at ING, with “The Next-Generation CISO: A Business Enabler.”
Taking place at 10:35, the session will explore how the CISO’s role is moving beyond technical security and towards becoming a strategic business leader.
Janeczek will discuss how cybersecurity can enable trust, resilience and growth rather than simply being viewed as a cost centre. The session will also consider how security teams can adapt at the speed of frontier AI while continuing to protect businesses, data and people.
Later that day at 15:50, a panel featuring Charlie Morrison, Inspector and Head of Cyber Griffin at the City of London Police Cyber PROTECT Team, and Chris Spinks, Head of Operations at Cyjax, will ask: “Cyber Crime: Who are the Victims in a Major Incident?”
The panel will challenge the idea that cyber incidents only affect organisations and IT systems. Instead, it will examine the wider human impact of attacks and why putting victims at the centre of incident response may be an overlooked part of cybersecurity.
Day two will see Daniel Downing, Information Security Manager at BAE Systems, examining China’s role in cyberspace and its security implications for the West. The session, “China’s Role in Cyberspace and its Security Implications for the West”, starting at 10:35, will explore China’s cyber strategy, state objectives and civil-military fusion, alongside the relationship between government, industry and security organisations.
It will also consider the implications for the UK and its allies across defence, industry, supply chains and policy.
AI security will also feature prominently, with Nathan Pembe, Senior Application Security Consultant at NVISO, presenting “What Does Threat Modelling Solve for AI Security?” at 13:30 on 30 September.
Pembe will examine how risks surrounding modern AI systems often emerge from the connections between architecture, data, APIs, identities and business workflows rather than AI alone.
The session will explore how threat modelling can help organisations identify realistic attack paths, prioritise security efforts and make better informed technical and regulatory decisions.
More speakers and sessions are expected to be announced ahead of International Cyber Expo 2026.
Alongside the Global Cyber Summit, attendees will be able to meet more than 100 exhibiting brands, network with over 6,000 cybersecurity professionals, meet UK Government representatives and watch live cybersecurity demonstrations.
International Cyber Expo 2026 takes place on 29 and 30 September at Olympia London and is free to attend.
Secure a FREE pass to International Cyber Expo 2026
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As NATO leaders gather in Ankara this week, the alliance faces a myriad of security challenges unlike anything it has confronted in decades.
With Russia's war against Ukraine raging on and instability in the Middle East following the conflict with Iran, President Donald Trump continues to press European allies to take on more of the burden for their defense. This all comes to a head in Ankara, where Turkey finds itself at the center of the alliance's most pressing strategic concerns. Taken together, the issues confronting leaders at this week's summit extend well beyond the traditional debates over defense spending.
"This is a great opportunity for Türkiye," retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, told The Cipher Brief. "Finally many Allies will have the opportunity to better appreciate the strategically vital role that Turkey plays for NATO due to its geography as well as its defense industry and military capabilities." The changing perception of Turkey's role in the alliance represents quite a shift.
Only a few years ago, Turkey's relationships with many NATO countries were strained over its purchase of Russia's S-400 air defense system and disagreements over admitting new countries into the alliance shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022. Today, NATO looks to expand defense production and strengthen its southern flank.
Russia's war continues to shape NATO's priorities
The urgency surrounding Russia is likely to dominate the conversation in Ankara.
Another deadly wave of Russian missiles and drones struck Kyiv just hours before the summit, killing 21 people and injuring at least 77 more. President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to seek additional Western air defense systems, particularly U.S.-made Patriot interceptors, during meetings with allied leaders. Beyond Ukraine itself, many in the alliance predict that Moscow will continue testing NATO's resolve across Europe.
"There is a recognition, regardless of what President Trump says when he speaks tomorrow, that this meeting has to set major new directions for cooperation between NATO allies," former senior British diplomat Nick Fishwick, who is attending meetings in Ankara surrounding the summit, told The Cipher Brief.
"Most people recognise that the days when European allies could freeload on massive U.S. security support have come to an end," Fishwick said. "European allies are now committed to spending two or three times the amount of GDP devoted to defence in 2015."
European governments are increasingly acknowledging that spending more money is only half of the equation, while rebuilding defense industries and coordinating military planning across the alliance have become equally urgent priorities.
"We Europeans have to find ways of cooperating, sharing and communicating in an age of hybrid warfare and AI-enabled cyber attacks," Fishwick said.
Beyond defense spending
President Trump is expected to arrive in Ankara seeking commitments from allies to meet NATO's new defense investment targets.
Retired Adm. James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, believes the summit's greatest achievement may be just preserving the alliance's unity.
"The most important thing is simply that there are no huge blowups," Stavridis told The Cipher Brief. "Worrisome issues include fundamental disagreements about operations in Iran; the pace of European defense spending; support to Ukraine, both diplomatic and military; and the lingering negative effects of the U.S. moves on Greenland."
One area where Stavridis sees potential progress is maritime security, particularly after recent instability in the Middle East. He said President Trump would likely welcome a European commitment to participate in operations protecting commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Stavridis also said allies should move past broad spending pledges and begin outlining specific plans for expanding Europe's defense industrial base. Just as important, he said, should be addressing threats that increasingly blur the line between peace and war, or as we like to call it, the "Gray Zone".
"A robust discussion about how to counter increasing levels of hybrid and grey zone activity specifically including anti-drone cooperation would be meaningful," Stavridis said. "I would also hope to see some discussion of the role of the alliance in cyber security because the likelihood of Russian hybrid operations in that zone is significant and rising."
For Hodges, success in Ankara should be measured by whether the alliance shows that its members remain aligned on the issues that matter most to their collective security.
"A strong endorsement of Ukraine and the strategic importance for all NATO Members that Ukraine is successful in its war with Russia, with commitments of resources and capabilities from everyone, including the USA, to Ukraine," remains essential, Hodges said.
Whether leaders can deliver that message, and Trump's often unpredictable approach to NATO, will cement how this summit is remembered.
The gathering in Ankara is unlikely to produce any severe dramatic breakthrough. But at a time when Europe faces its most serious security environment in a generation, maybe it's enough for the alliance to demonstrate that it is capable of remaining united.
The Cipher Brief is committed to publishing a range of perspectives on national security issues submitted by deeply experienced national security professionals. Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent the views or opinions of The Cipher Brief.
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