The Center for the Study of Space Crime, Policy, and Governance (CSCPG) is raising alarms about the increasing risk of piracy in space, driven by the growing commercialization of space resources. The center emphasizes the need for proactive measures to mitigate potential economic and legal consequences.
According to Marc Feldman, executive director of the CSCPG, space piracy, including satellite hacking and attacks on ground-based assets, is already in its early stages. Feldman and Hugh Taylor, director of the CSCPG, suggest establishing a lead agency, potentially within the U.S. Space Force or a dedicated space security agency, to address the issue. They also propose that the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) could serve as a crucial international platform for discussions and collaborative efforts.
The CSCPG highlights various potential criminal activities in space, such as taking over broadcast satellites or targeting satellites involved in shipping. Feldman stresses the importance of developing rapid response capabilities and acknowledges that criminal actions often drive technological innovation. He urges the U.S. Intelligence Community and the U.S. Space Force to broaden their focus to include non-state actors like pirates and criminals, alongside sovereign nations, as significant threats to space assets.