Safeguarding the final frontier: Analyzing the legal and technical challenges to mega-constellations

Satellites are becoming more interconnected and are just as cyber-vulnerable as any other technology. Mega-constellations of satellites launched into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) spark a myriad of longstanding concerns from different stakeholders, including traditional satellite operators and astronomers, as well as the growing number of activists involved in the protection of the space environment. Space cyber security involves the study of data security related to transmission networks. It includes signal processing between control segments, orbital objects and their onboard systems, and a component of cybernetics. This paper aims to elaborate on the concept of cyber safety for mega-constellations, intended as mitigation of cybersecurity risks and their avoidance through policy amendments and technology advancements.(c) 2022 International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.