Cyber resilience in critical space infrastructure: A protection framework to better fuse their legal and technical governance

The growing dependence on space infrastructure for global communication, navigation and defence has made it a critical target for cyber threats. This paper explores strategies to enhance cyber resilience in space systems by examining the critical intersection between space infrastructure and cybersecurity and proposes an improved space systems design approach that is more cognisant of the growing threat landscape. Drawing on two rounds of structured interviews with space designers, this research highlights the security risks exacerbated by governance challenges and uncertain legal protections for space systems, while examining how cyber resilience strategies can be employed to mitigate those risks. The study emphasises that there is a need to align legal standards and technical practices, because of the increasing potential of cyber threats that target satellites, ground stations, and communication links. By identifying key themes such as integration and adaptability, this paper provides insights into how legal protection, standards and technical measures can work together to protect critical space assets. These findings underscore the urgent requirement for robust, interdisciplinary solutions that bridge the gap between existing engineering approaches and the emerging cybersecurity landscape in space operations. The proposed new cyber resilience strategy for safeguarding space infrastructure is novel and significant in an era of increasing reliance on these essential systems.