FEATURED PAPER
By Dr R J Chapman (DCA)
United Kingdom
Introduction
Developments in space exploration, sometimes referred to as the ‘final frontier’, are now moving at a breathtaking pace. According to the World Economic Forum the space economy is expected to be worth $1.8 trillion by 2035[i]. China in particular is rapidly expanding its space capabilities. As reported by the China National Space Administration[ii], since 2016, China has completed and made operational the BeiDou Navigation Satellite and its high-resolution earth observation systems as well as the first stages of its space station. In addition, it has made a steady improvement in the maturity of its satellite communications and broadcasting. Along with concerns of the rest of the world, the UK is apprehensive about the cyber resilience of satellite systems. How are UK satellites in particular to be protected against cyberattacks to maintain our critical national infrastructure in space and effectively preserve the services it provides? It is a complex industry. This paper strives to examine the jigsaw pieces that when assembled provide a picture of the context of satellite cybersecurity rather than specific threats and their potential controls. The analogy of jigsaw pieces lends itself to describe the existence of multiple organisations within the space industry which rather than just coexist, provide mutual support, regularly engage and exchange information. Given that cybercrime is a global threat and is not confined within national boarders, a multi-agency approach is required. The primary organisations are the UK Space Agency (UKSA), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the U.S.’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Given the nature, prevalence and complexity of cyberattacks, other relevant organisations seeking to share intelligence include the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO), the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the nonprofit federally funded U.S. Aerospace Corporation, over 40 national space agencies, Interpol (which has 196 member countries), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the U.S. as well as the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). In addition, there are clearly the satellite manufacturers and launch companies together with prominent organisations such as SpaceX and Boeing. Guiding production and delivery are the international standards and guidance notes.
Why do satellites require special attention? Satellites are vital to our way of life and our dependence on them is growing day by day[iii]. According to a UK government report, in the UK, global satellite services underpin at least 18% of UK’s GDP (£370 billion), supporting everything from mapping to weather forecasting, to monitoring the power grid and enabling financial transactions[iv]. While cybersecurity is the primary focus of this paper, the management of satellites is not without other challenges such as uncontrolled re-entry, collision with other satellites (exacerbated by the vast number of satellite launches), impact damage from space debris, geomagnetic storms or radio blackouts from solar flaring[v].
This paper is a development of the themes described in the previous PM World Journal Featured Paper titled “Integration of cyber resilience within energy projects forming the UK’s critical national infrastructure” [vi]. Many aspects of the previous paper are relevant here but have not been repeated for brevity.
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How to cite this work: Chapman, R. J. (2024). “Cyber security for UK critical infrastructure projects in space”, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue X, October/November. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/pmwj146-OctNov2024-Chapman-Cyber-security-for-critical-UK-infrastructure-projects-in-space.pdf
About the Author
Robert J. Chapman,
PhD, MSc., FAPM, CFIRM, FCIHT, FICM
United Kingdom
Dr Robert J Chapman is the Managing Director of Dr Chapman and Associates Ltd. He is an international risk management specialist. He has provided risk management services in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Holland, UAE, South Africa, Malaysia and Qatar on multi-billion programmes and projects across 14 different industries. He is author of the texts: ‘The SME business guide to fraud risk management’ published by Routledge, ‘Simple tools and techniques for enterprise risk management’ 2nd edition, published by John Wiley and Sons Limited, ‘The Rules of Project Risk Management, implementation guidelines for major projects’ 2nd edition published by Routledge Publishing and ‘Retaining design team members, a risk management approach’ published by RIBA Enterprises. He holds a PhD in risk management from Reading University and has been elected a fellow of the IRM, CIHT, APM and ICM and is a former member of the RIBA. In 2007 Andrew Bragg (APM Chief Executive at the time) formally confirmed he has exceptional risk management skills. Robert has passed the M_o_R, APM Level 1 and PMI risk examinations. He has been shortlisted for national risk management awards in 2014 and 2024. In addition, he has provided project and risk management training in Scotland, England, Singapore and Malaysia. Robert has been an external PhD examiner.
He can be reached at DrChapmanAssociates@outlook.com
To view other works by Dr. Chapman, visit his author showcase in the PM World Library at https://pmworldlibrary.net/authors/robert-j-chapman-phd/
[i] World Economic Forum (2024) “Space Economy Set to Triple to $1.8 Trillion by 2035, New Research Reveals” 08 Apr 2024. https://www.weforum.org/press/2024/04/space-economy-set-to-triple-to-1-8-trillion-by-2035-new-research-reveals/
[ii] CNSA (2022) “China’s Space Program: A 2021 Perspective”. 28.01.2022. https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/english/n6465652/n6465653/c6813088/content.html#:~:text=Since%202016%2C%20China%27s%20space%20industry%20has%20made%20rapid,by%20Tianwen-1%2C%20followed%20by%20the%20exploration%20of%20Mars.
[iii] Matina Blake (2023) “The future is bright for the UK’s space ambitions” The House Magazine. 29 June 2023. https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/future-bright-uks-space-ambitions
[iv] Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (2024) Policy paper, Space Industrial Plan: from ambition to action – advancing UK space industry, Published 7 March 2024. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/space-industrial-plan/space-industrial-plan-from-ambition-to-action-advancing-uk-space-industry
[v] Sky News (2024) “Late-phase solar flares could be more dangerous for Earth’s communication than thought, new study suggests”. 20 August 2024. https://news.sky.com/story/late-phase-solar-flares-could-be-more-dangerous-for-earths-communication-than-thought-new-study-suggests-13200013
[vi] Chapman, R. J. (2024). Integration of cyber resilience within energy projects forming the UK’s critical national infrastructure, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue VI, June. https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pmwj142-Jun2024-Chapman-Integration-of-cyber-resilience-within-UK-energy-projects.pdf
