Satellite Networks - The Battle in Space is Already Underway

English Translation:

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Deutschlandfunk Forschung aktuell and now let's take a look at Munich. The current conflict situation internationally also has virtually infinite expanses. It takes place not only on Earth, but also in space. What is currently going on there? This is a topic at the Cyber Security Conference in Munich. The conference is running as a kind of pre-conference to the Munich Security Conference. Let's have a listen.

The fight is on and what needs to happen is coherent, funded strategies that can systematically get after the threats that we are all experiencing in space and cyber.

The threats in space. Nina Amano there. Until recently, she was Director of Staff at the U.S. Space Force, i.e. responsible for the processes, the administration at the Space Force. He listened for us in Munich, Michael Gessert. We talked to each other earlier during a conference break before Michael went straight back to the next session.

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Yes, Michael, Nina Amano, she sounds pretty worried. So almost out of breath. Does that fit in with the mood there, especially in this discussion?

Yes, of course that fits pretty well, because I really have to say that in this session, there was really a pessimistic mood, there were also scenarios really discussed that basically yes, I have to say it worst case scenarios or world war scenarios. And here it also plays a very important role who is ultimately left over in conflict situations that take place in space, or at least who can remain for a while and what are the main players now?

Actually, the International Outer Space Treaty provides that there should be peaceful use. But this only applies to weapons. And here we are now with communication.

That's exactly what an entire area is now. Now lately there has been so much talk of himself. Starlink, This Mega Constellation from SpaceX, from Elon Musk, which has also played such an important central role in Ukraine in the Ukraine war.

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A very surprising message came to my surprise from Declan Ganley, the Head of the Rivada Space Networks. And he said that these mega constellations like Starlink, so important, who are also in this war right now, in a larger global conflict, they wouldn't be of much use anymore.

Now, tell us why they are so valuable so far?

Yes, we have seen it in recent years. Basically, all communication of the Ukrainian armed forces, for example, which communicates with Teams, even with Microsoft's product, runs through Starlink and they have practically ensured that this communication is maintained, even if the ground-based networks have long since failed or have been corrupted by cyberattacks.

And why could that no longer be of any use when it comes to even greater conflicts?

Yes, Declan Ganley explained that. After all, Starlink is connected to the normal Internet.

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So there are these interlink stations where uploads and downloads run over it. This means that the experts have outlined a worst-case scenario here, basically on a World War scale. And according to their assessment, one thing would happen immediately, that the opponent here, in this case of course China or Russia, cuts the submarine cables, over which the worldwide Internet communication takes place, with the consequence of blinding the opponent and that would actually affect Starlink as well. Ultimately, it depends on this Internet and will basically fail when it comes to this drastic escalation level.

In other words, here on Earth, cut off a connection that has perhaps not been sufficiently targeted so far.

These under submarine cables, they are absolutely recognized as a neuralgic point. It has also been talked about in other sessions here that this has to be protected, that they have to be repaired very quickly. But as I said, in the event of war, this would practically be the first global measure to virtually wipe out communication in one fell swoop.

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And if you want to prevent that, then you would actually need something completely different, a completely different structure.

Exactly and that is exactly what Rivada, the satellite network, has to offer. The company is based here in Germany. The concept is quasi an alternative Internet, supported by 600 satellites, in order to remain capable of acting at least for a while. This is how the CEO explained it, when the submarine cable is cut, when the Internet fails, it is capable of acting for hours, for days, perhaps for months.

And how is that supposed to work?

So they are not attached to these important connections here on earth. This is exactly where all communication traffic runs via its own upload and download stations, which are not connected to the normal Internet, so they can continue to exist independently of it.

Yes, and now what we have just discussed, Starlink and then Rivada, is not the only thing that is on the move in space. This was also an issue on satellites and satellite systems. All the rest.

Exactly.

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Of course, there have been the classic communications and reconnaissance satellites for civilian, for military purposes, for years, for decades and they are also vulnerable, vulnerable. That was discussed here. Thomas Seifert from Cloudflair, for example, pointed this out.

There is still a lot of old infrastructure out there, which continues to age, but is still very important for the functioning of our society. When these satellites were launched back then, it cost a lot of money. Therefore, it was important that they weighed as little as possible. They have no protection against cyberattacks. In many cases, the communication between the satellite and the ground station is not even encrypted. So this is a highly vulnerable part of our infrastructure and a worthwhile target for our enemies and a welcomed target for our enemies.

So far, Thomas Seifert on the weaknesses of the old satellites in space and that the weaknesses are exploited, that is well known.

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It is known, for example, that Russia maneuvers special satellites very close to Western satellites in order to actually listen to them via radio. Basically, it is also possible to connect to communication and here, I heard in a background discussion, updates would theoretically be possible for these old satellites, i.e. software updates. But they are very careful because these updates are very risky and that's what they sometimes say in the Bundeswehr. It is better to leave the satellite theoretically vulnerable, but it works than to risk it failing.

Yes, and then, of course, there is the possibility of real, drastic physical attacks now.

So you mean such actions as China has tried before, I think. So the ramming of satellites, I think they have already tested this with their own satellites.

Exactly, they have successfully tested it. So does Russia and in the process, a lot of garbage has been created in space. That's another keyword. Nina Amano has also made an urgent appeal to China to set

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up a communication channel to warn in advance of imminent collisions of satellites in the event of imminent debris in orbit, to communicate in order to clarify misleading situations, for example. Analogous to the red telephone that exists between the USA and Russia, precisely for nuclear dangers. Nina Amano described: so far, it has been like this: The U.S. Space Command has to send an email to a Chinese address. If something threatens, if you want to communicate and you don't even get a confirmation back.

And with such a fast line, you could clarify very quickly, this has not been a hostile situation here, so that there is no threat of an unnecessary escalation?

Exactly.

Yes, and then the Cyber Security Conference is a pre-conference to the Munich Security Conference, where the mood is quite a world crisis. I'll put it this way, it can also be felt at the Security Conference. What is your first assessment?

Well, I was there live for the first time this year.

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I would have expected that to be noticeable. But I have to say, it was like that here. There are mainly representatives of police forces and secret services here. They are obliged to be loyal to their governments and of course, no representative from this spectrum has leaned out of the window here, with any hint of criticism, for example of the policies of the Trump administration. There was actually the only one. A clear indication was yesterday evening in the last panel during the discussion, where a representative of the European Parliament also saw it in the Schwarz group, which is building its own cloud here in Germany and they said very clearly: Europe or the states. Germany, for example, really has to keep control over the data about the programs, no matter who can pull the plug in the background. That was a small hint, but apart from that, transatlantic cooperation in the security sector is obviously still intact here, so to speak.

And if I say now, the whole thing you have just described, that leaves me

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in a rather gloomy mood, do you say yes, is it true or say without it is totally important to talk about it, so it is inevitable?

I would say that the problem here is that only a certain number of those involved are represented here, because this is really a conference for Western partners and Western services. China or Russia are not included, which means that they may hear certain appeals here, but basically it was more about solidarity in the Western alliance, in the Western cyber security community.

Michael Gessert from Munich and even more about cyber security with Focus IT. We recommend the background tonight at 6:40 p.m. on Deutschlandfunk or then also in the Deutschlandfunk app.