Cybersecurity Threats to Space Exploration
The vastness of space is not the only challenge facing space exploration; cybersecurity threats are also on the rise. With spacecraft, satellites, and space-based systems becoming increasingly interconnected, the consequences of a security breach could be catastrophic. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) warns that a break in one segment of the space infrastructure can lead to a cascading failure for all.
The three key segments of space infrastructure vulnerable to threats are: in space, on the ground, and within communication links. Cyberattacks can be orchestrated by state actors, individual hackers, or even the invisible hands of cybercriminals operating from thousands of miles below. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into space projects has heightened the risk of sophisticated cyber attacks.
AI Risks in Mission Critical Systems
The integration of AI into space exploration allows for more decision-making with less human oversight. However, this reduced oversight makes these missions more prone to unexplained and potentially calamitous cyberattacks. Data poisoning and model inversion are two examples of what could go wrong. AI systems can also be used to interfere with or take control of strategically important national space missions.
The US government is tightening up the integrity and security of AI systems in space. The 2023 Cyberspace Solarium Commission report stressed the importance of designating outer space as a critical infrastructure sector, urging enhanced cybersecurity protocols for satellite operators. Lonstein recommends rigorous testing of AI systems in simulated space conditions before deployment and the use of strict access controls, authentication, and error correction mechanisms.
U.S.-China Competition
The rivalry between the US and China has intensified the risk of cyberattacks targeting critical orbital assets. Both nations are ramping up their space ambitions and militarized capabilities beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Notable cyberattacks have targeted critical space-based technologies in recent years, including hacks on Japan’s space agency JAXA and SpaceX’s Starlink satellite system.
Space-based systems increasingly support critical infrastructure back on Earth, and any cyberattacks on these systems could undermine national security and economic interests. The US government has taken measures to test vulnerabilities that could be exploited by China, and has also collaborated with private companies to develop cybersecurity frameworks specifically tailored to space systems.
Private companies and the government will need to use all the cybersecurity tools at their disposal to secure space technologies. Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Nvidia are being enlisted by the US Space Force and Department of Defense for their specialized resources and advanced cyber capabilities.