OPENSPACE 24: The Future of Space Exploration | Page 30

dossier
security of space
infrastructure will be
the next new enterprise
Credit: ESA.
Recent nationalist trends have also raised the question of the security of space infrastructure in
the future. “Any significant future conflict will be preceded by a phase of neutralization of space
As cyber-
attacks
become more
complex and
frequent,
protecting
space systems
and operations
will become a
priority for the
industry.
assets. This could be both by cyber-attack and by physical interference. Such conflict will expose
the extreme fragility of our reliance upon space. Distribution of space assets among a large
number of spacecraft, such as Galileo and OneWeb, is one way to minimize such disturbances”
Dubock said.
As cyber-attacks become more complex and frequent, protecting space systems and
operations will become a priority for the industry. “Cybersecurity related to space assets is
becoming more and more critical in our society. Space assets have an essential role in the life of
every citizen and in almost all critical infrastructure of every nation, and this trend is increasing at
a very high pace from now to 2030. We need to develop cybersecurity technologies, standards
and knowledge that are able to protect the space assets and face upcoming challenges,” said
Matteo Merialdo, RHEA Group’s project manager.
Merialdo is currently working on the first cyber-range project to secure space infrastructure and
operations at the Redu Cyber Security Center of Excellence in Belgium. The project, sponsored
by the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (Belspo) and ESA, will become a platform for
resources and information exchange specific to cybersecurity of space assets. “We will be able
to raise awareness about cyber-threats, establish a cybersecurity technology test environment,
and collaborate and coordinate cyber-incident response measures,” added Merialdo.
30