A Satellite Constellation Simulator for Space Systems Cybersecurity Research and Development

Authors: Simone Urbano, Jacques Girard, Louis Lolive, Vincent Nicomette, Pierre Bacquet, Patrick Hebrard, Guillaume Auriol, Ludovic Cintrat, Benjamin Deporte, Julien Airaud and Matteo Merialdo

Space Systems have become critical infrastructures for modern society. Thus, Cybersecurity and resilience of Space Systems has become a hot topic of research. In this study a technological brick is presented that is designed to guide and to enhance cybersecurity investigations for Space Systems. In particular, we introduce a new simulation platform that has been developed in the framework of [anonymized] project led by [anonymized]. This platform is introduced as a benchmark for Cybersecurity Research and Development on Space Systems. The platform, based on NASA NOS3 simulator [25], can represent a single spacecraft or a Constellation of spacecraft, including Flight Software, Mission Control System (MCS) and CCSDS stack (up to Transfer Frame layer) for space link communications [8] [9] [10]. A few selected cyber attacks and an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) component under development are introduced to showcase the potential of the chosen simulation platform in terms of attacks and defense development and evaluation.