For space agencies such as NASA, reliable communication between ground and spacecraft is central to mission success, especially in the realms of digital communication (data and command links).
Unfortunately, these light communication links are vulnerable to malicious intrusion.
There’s also heightened concern over future space missions. Security against malicious attacks has become a major issue. CEV and other space vehicles require a reliable, safe and secure means of communication. Malicious attacks can jeopardize lives and mission success.
NASA space security experts believe reliable and secure space communication software can only be developed with a unified end-to-end approach for the design, analysis, implementation and certification, which is based upon rigorous logical and mathematical foundations.
One proposal has been a set of tools integrated into a software process which, given an intuitive, yet concise definition of all protocol requirements (e.g., using the Unified Modeling Language UML) can automatically perform the necessary analyses, support simulation, and automatically generate all required artifacts (code, documentation, certificates).
According to NASA, because all software development steps are derived from one high level specification of the protocol and its properties, results of all analyses and the generated code are always in sync, thus eliminating many errors which would yield the communication software insecure.
Truth is, space security has become a prime concern to organizations, agencies and governments worldwide.
That’s because space is no longer the exclusive domain of scientific discovery and exploration. For several years now, space has been transitioning from discovery to a realm of commerce.
Not only that, but much of the world’s critical infrastructure is heavily dependent on space, specifically space-based assets, for its daily functioning. Essential systems — such as communications, air transport, maritime trade, financial services, weather monitoring and defense — all rely heavily on space infrastructure, including satellites, ground stations and data links at the national, regional and international level.
This dependence poses a serious, and yet frequently underrecognized, security dilemma — especially cyber threats — for critical infrastructure providers and policymakers alike.
Authorities in this field believe that this explosion of commercial activity needs a follow-up phase emphasizing enhanced space security. Also needed are highly trained space security professionals.
Want to know more? Tonex offers Certified Space Security Specialist Professional (CSSSP) training, a 5-day course that is ideal for space and security practitioners, analysts, engineers, managers and executives interested in proving their knowledge across space security practices and principles.
Our Space Operations and Cybersecurity courses also include:
Fundamentals of Positioning, Navigation and Timing | PNT Training (2 days)
Space Mission Systems Engineering Training (2 days)
Space Systems Engineering Fundamentals (2 days)
For more information, questions, comments, contact us.