U.S. security services have warned that foreign spies are focusing on commercial space businesses
American commercial space businesses are being alerted by U.S. intelligence agencies that foreign spies may be eyeing them for hacks and other incursions that might lead to the theft of their equipment and endanger national security.
The alert, which was released last week by the National Counterintelligence and Security Centre, the F.B.I., and the Air Force, warned private space enterprises that hostile intelligence services in China and Russia also intend to impair American satellite capabilities during future conflicts and emergencies.
The broad warning comes as commercial firms that are heavily backed by billionaires continue to lead American space innovation.
American (U.S.) private space firms at the front edge of innovation
Six humans were aboard a spaceship that was launched earlier this month by Virgin Galactic, the space tourism corporation owned by billionaire Richard Branson. And last week, Elon Musk's space exploration business SpaceX launched a rocket with 21 Starlink satellites on board that were headed for low-Earth orbit.
As part of its forthcoming Artemis lunar missions, NASA has also given billions of dollars in contracts to SpaceX and Blue Origin, the company founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, to build the landers that will carry American humans from orbit to the moon's surface.
The Counterintelligence Centre issued a warning, noting that “foreign intelligence entities recognise the importance of the commercial space industry to the U.S. economy and national security, including the growing dependence of critical infrastructure on space-based assets.”
“They view U.S. space-related innovation and assets as both valuable opportunities to acquire essential technologies and expertise as well as potential threats.”
According to projections given in the advice, the global space economy is expected to rise from $469 billion in 2021 to more than $1 trillion by 2030, with the United States serving as the main driver of development through its significant investments in space research and manufacturing.
Fears that foreign adversaries could use espionage and other types of surveillance to disrupt and potentially steal data and intellectual property from those enterprises grow along with the government's reliance on the private space industry.
Private space corporations were recently warned that foreign intelligence services may be targeting them, posing a threat to both their financial health and national security if opponents are able to, for example, find weaknesses in the country's space infrastructure.
American officials issued warnings to private corporations about the potential for information breaches and targeting of personnel and contractors. In addition, officials warned that spies could infiltrate businesses as moles and hack into computer networks.
Such assaults have happened before.
For instance, Musk stated in March 2022 on X, formerly Twitter, that SpaceX's Starlink internet communications satellites have been the target of frequent cyberattacks and jamming attempts after Russia's illegitimate invasion of Ukraine last year.
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