Securing Space Missions – Challenges for security protocols in the space environment
Today, space assets that enable services such as global navigation, real-time earth
observation, and communication have become part of our critical infrastructure. With
society’s increasing dependency on these assets and their supporting infrastructure,
information security is a topic of growing importance also within the traditionally open
civilian space business. Space agencies are taking measures to secure their assets.
Deploying information security services on the communication links to the spacecraft is an
essential step in this direction. The spacecraft and the space environment in which they
operate have specific and unique properties that differ substantially to from those on
which terrestrial communications systems are built. As a consequence, terrestrial security
solutions cannot just be adopted but have to be carefully analysed for their suitability
in the space environment. The unique properties of the space environment such as isolation
and predictable communication opportunities also enable security solutions that are not
practicable in terrestrial scenarios.