Call for Ideas: Cybersecurity Experiments in Orbit

The European Space Agency is pleased to invite researchers, engineers, and innovators to propose experimental ideas for testing new technologies, methods, algorithms, protocols, and techniques in the domain of cybersecurity applied to space systems.

Selected experiments will be conducted on the CyberCUBE, the first European satellite in orbit dedicated to cyber security experiments.

A few words about the CyberCUBE

CyberCUBE is a 3U CubeSat from the European Space Agency dedicated to cybersecurity experiments in orbit, to be launched at an altitude of 500 Km.

The CyberCUBE is equipped with:

• Onboard data monitoring for real-time telemetry/data analysis
• Secure communication channels with configurable parameters
• Software Defined Radio fully reconfigurable
• Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) fully reprogrammable
• A camera that can be used for ground-based threat identification

The launch is planned for the first quarter of 2026.

The Call for Ideas

This Call for Ideas seeks innovative experiments to investigate and demonstrate cybersecurity technologies and methods to enhance the resilience, detection, and mitigation of cyber threats affecting space-based infrastructures.

Proposals for experiments can include (but are not limited to) one or more of the following areas:

• Intrusion detection and mitigation for satellite communication systems
• Anomaly detection using onboard data and AI-based techniques
• Resilience mechanisms against cyberattacks targeting satellite operations
• Secure data transmission and encryption strategies
• Threat identification from orbit using the onboard camera
• Demonstration of on-board security mitigations
• Novel approaches to satellite authentication and access control

Submission Guidelines

We welcome academia, industry experts, and independent researchers with expertise in cybersecurity, space systems, and AI/ML for security in space to submit their ideas fir in orbit demonstration of cyber security experiments for space systems.

Prospective authors are invited to submit an Abstract (max 500 words) outlining the concept and expected impact, including:

• Description of required onboard resources and testing methodology
• Potential benefits for future space cybersecurity applications

All submissions must be thoroughly anonymized for double-blind reviewing, and they should be written in English.

• Submission deadline: 3rd August 2025.
• Authors will be notified by the 24th August 2025.

To submit the proposal, send an e-mail to with the subject [CYBERCUBE].

The top 3 selected ideas:

• Will be the first to be demonstrated at the CyberCUBE in orbit, the first European satellite dedicated to cybersecurity experiments in orbit.
• Authors will have the opportunity to present their idea using a poster at the Security for Space Systems (3S) Conference and to provide a turbo talk.
• For student teams selected in the top 3 ideas, two (2) complimentary conference tickets will be provided per team.

Join us in pioneering cybersecurity for the next generation of space systems!

Call for Ideas - Results announcement

The CyberCUBE call for Ideas Evaluation Committee is pleased to announce the results of this year’s selection process.

We were delighted by the volume and quality of submissions received from both Academia and Industry. The evaluation process was exceptionally challenging.

🏆 Top 3 Selected Proposals

We are proud to announce the following standout ideas, selected for In-Orbit Experimentation / Demonstration with CyberCUBE:

1. Space Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Experimentation and Testing, Patrick Jauernig, Sanctuary.
2. Secure 2-way ranging with LEO satellites, Daniele Coppola, Camurati Giovanni, Sathaye Harshad, Capkun, Srdjan, ETH
3. Quantized in-orbit fingerprinting for uplink authentication, Joshua Smailes, University of Oxford

The authors of these top proposals are invited to showcase their work at the Security for Space Systems (3S) conference through a poster presentation and a dynamic turbo talk session.

🔬 Additional Proposals Selected for Demonstration

We are also pleased to invite the following contributors to experiment, test, or demonstrate their ideas at CyberCUBE:

4. In orbit comparative implementation and testing of QUIC-MLS and BPSec-MLS, Tian, Xisen, US Naval Postgraduate School, Benjamin Dowling, King’s College London, Hale, Britta, US Naval Postgraduate School, Bhagya Wimalasiri, University of Sheffield
5. Delegated Certificate Validation for Federated Space Public Key Infrastructure, Alin-Petru Rosu, Delft University of Technology, Oana-Alexandra Graur, European Space Agency.
6. Quantum and cryptanalysis secure remote software update system to enable cryptographic agility in space systems, Stefan Weber, Uwe Resas, Qubalt.

We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who submitted a proposal to the CyberCUBE Call for Ideas.

The CyberCUBE call for Ideas Evaluation Committee