The increase in space activity has contributed to a convergence of cybersecurity and outer space at a critical moment in the digital era requiring a thorough examination of the threats to space-based assets and the protective measures required. As satellites and space technology become integral to global operations, their сyber security is parаmount given their vulnerability to cyber espionage, interference and attacks. This paer highlights the significance of technological advancements and their dual role in improving space systems while also introducing new vulnerabilities. It explores varied national cybersecurity practices focusing on space stakeholders such as the US, the EU, China, Russia and UAE, revealing the global strategies employed against cyber threats. Moreover, the importance of laws and regulations such as the Outer Space Treaty in countering cyber attacks and emphasising the need for agile legal frameworks to address cybersecurity challenges in outer space is also examined. Moreover, the paper addresses complex issues of cybersecurity in outer space, particularly innоvation, collaboration and legal reforms.
The emergence of global internet access from the low Earth orbit (LEO) comes with cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Under international space law regimes, the concept of cybersecurity in outer space remains ambiguous. Furthermore, cyberattacks affecting the era’s thoroughly segregated computer space systems were unimagined. Cyber borders are not the same as physical borders. Cyberspace does not admit the demarcation of territorial sovereignty, as it is not based on physical location, and assigning territorial sovereignty to cyberspace is time-consuming. This research proposes the concept of a multi-stakeholder international legal regime for space cybersecurity, as establishing cybersecurity standards and risk management mechanisms necessitates technical measures and a regulatory framework. International cooperation is the only way to provide a fully coordinated approach to cyberspace protection which is consistent with the fundamental premise of international cooperation and collaboration in space.