| | | | Steely Newsletter Issue #023 |
| Read all about Astranis formally introducing it's "secret satellite", more information coming out about the nature of the Russian cyberattack against Viasat, Hacker Summer Camp 2023 is here in Las Vegas and so much more! |
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| | Tech Crunch | Aria Alamalhodaei | 08-11-2023 When news broke last month that Astranis’ first commercial satellite in orbit malfunctioned, the company made an unexpected announcement that it had a backup, the UtilitySat. UtilitySat is designed to be highly versatile and can be used for a variety of missions, including providing on-orbit redundancy, supporting disaster relief efforts, and boosting capacity in underserved areas. UtilitySat is the first satellite of its kind to be equipped with transponders in the standard Ku, Ka, and Q/V bands, which gives it the flexibility to be used for a variety of applications. Astranis plans to launch one or more UtilitySats in 2025, with the eventual aim to include a UtilitySat in every batch of satellites the company launches. |
| Space News | Jason Rainbow | 08-10-2023 Viasat is exploring how to use L-band spectrum from Inmarsat to connect consumer devices directly from space. The company is considering using satellites in both geostationary orbit (GEO) and low Earth orbit (LEO). GEO satellites have a longer range but higher latency, while LEO satellites have lower latency but shorter range. Viasat is also looking at partnering with other operators to expand its reach. |
| Tech Crunch | Aria Alamalhodaei | 08-09-2023 Remote-sensing satellite operator HawkEye 360 experienced propulsion system failures in three of its satellites due to an “irreparable” defect in the Enpulsion IFM Nano Thruster propulsion system. The failures were compounded by high solar activity, which increased drag and accelerated the satellites' orbital decay. HawkEye requested temporary permission from the FCC to operate the satellites at a lower altitude, and permanent authority to operate its constellation at orbital altitudes of 400-615 kilometers. The company has already discontinued use of Enpulsion's systems and switched to a water-based propulsion system made by Bradford Space. |
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🛡️Satellite Cybersecurity News |
| The Register | Iain Thomson | 08-11-2023 A study by a PhD student at Germany's Ruhr University Bochum has found that low-Earth orbit satellites are worryingly easy to hack. The study found that many satellites lack even the most basic security systems, such as authentication and encryption. This makes them vulnerable to remote takeover by hackers. He said that he believes that criminals have not yet targeted satellites because they think they are too difficult to hack. However, he warned that this could change in the future as more and more satellites are launched into orbit. Willbold also found that larger satellites are more vulnerable to hacking than smaller satellites. This is because larger satellites typically use more commercial off-the-shelf components, which are more vulnerable to attack. |
| Cyberscoop | Christian Vasquez, Elias Groll | 08-10-2023 A cyberattack on Viasat's satellite communications network on the eve of the Ukraine war was more broad than initially understood. The attack used a piece of malware to wipe the contents of thousands of modems, and a second, previously unknown component of the attack used "highly technical knowledge of our network" to target specific terminals and prevent them from being restored to the network. The attack showed that Russia is capable of carrying out sophisticated and targeted cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. The attack also caught the NSA by surprise, as they did not expect a satellite internet provider to be targeted. This attack highlighted the need for improved cybersecurity for satellite communications systems. |
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| | Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf | 08-09-2023 Satcube, a European technology company that develops lightweight terminals to provide high-speed satellite broadband connectivity, has announced that Intelsat has ordered 100 portable satellite terminals. This is a significant milestone for Satcube, as it marks the company's first major volume order. The relationship between Satcube and Intelsat started in 2017, and the two companies have been working together to develop and deploy portable satellite terminals for a variety of use cases, including emergency response, disaster recovery, and remote news gathering. |
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| | Space.com | Andrew Jones | 08-11-2023 China launched a new radar remote sensing satellite for environmental monitoring on Tuesday. The satellite, named S-SAR02, was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, north China. It is the second satellite in the S-SAR series, and it will join the first satellite, S-SAR01, in orbit. The two satellites will form a preliminary satellite constellation for disaster mitigation. S-SAR02 is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system, which allows it to produce images of Earth's surface even during cloudy or rainy weather. This makes it a valuable tool for environmental monitoring and disaster response. The satellite will also be used to track changes in land use and to monitor the movement of people and goods. |
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🏛️US Government Satellite News |
| C4ISRNET | Courtney Albon | 08-11-2023 The Space Force is developing a new program called R2C2 (Rapid Resilient Command and Control) to modernize its ground infrastructure for dynamic space operations. The goal of R2C2 is to develop and integrate a modernized suite of tools to operate more mobile satellites. Dynamic space operations is the term Space Command uses to describe a growing need for satellites to be able to maneuver away from threats like debris or toward objects the U.S. may want to observe more closely. The transition to dynamic space operations will require new satellite designs that include larger fuel tanks and ports for refueling or maintenance as well as spacecraft and other in-orbit infrastructure to provide those services. |
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| | The Register | Iain Thomson | 08-09-2023 Hacker Summer Camp: The world's largest gathering of IT security experts is coming to Las Vegas this week. The event will feature three conferences: BSidesLV, Black Hat USA 2023, and DEF CON 31. BSidesLV is a smaller conference that offers a more intimate setting for security professionals to share their knowledge and expertise.
Black Hat USA is a more formal conference that features keynote speeches and technical presentations on cutting-edge security topics. DEF CON is the largest and most popular of the three conferences. It is known for its relaxed atmosphere and its focus on practical security skills. |
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| | | 11111 Sunset Hills Rd, Reston, VA, 20190 |
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