Space-based solar power (SBSP) is fast emerging as a revolutionary solution to global energy demands. But as this futuristic technology advances, new warnings have surfaced over its vulnerability to cyber and physical threats. In a recent report, UK-based engineering consultancy Frazer-Nash has flagged significant security gaps in SBSP systems, calling for immediate national and international action to secure them as critical infrastructure.
According to the report, titled Securing Space-Based Solar Power as Critical National Infrastructure, SBSP platforms designed to harvest solar energy in space and beam it to Earth via microwave transmission face complex threat vectors spanning ground stations, satellite systems, and operational technology.
Strategic Promise Meets Tactical Vulnerabilities
SBSP is being hailed as a game-changer in clean energy. Unlike terrestrial solar farms, SBSP systems offer uninterrupted power generation, unaffected by day-night cycles or weather. Governments, including the UK, are investing in early-stage feasibility studies and innovation initiatives to integrate SBSP into national energy strategies.
However, Frazer-Nash warns that this growing reliance also creates a broad attack surface. Adversaries ranging from nation-states to cybercriminals and insiders could exploit vulnerabilities across the SBSP ecosystem. Ground-based components are at risk of intrusion, manipulation, or sabotage, while orbital assets are vulnerable to unauthorized remote access, jamming, malware, or even kinetic strikes.
The report also points to newer, more sophisticated threats, including AI-generated hacking tools, quantum computing exploits, and counterspace technologies like anti-satellite weapons and space debris. The use of industrial malware like Pipedream, originally designed to disrupt critical OT systems, could easily be adapted to SBSP operations.
Frazer-Nash Outlines a Resilience Framework
To safeguard SBSP systems from emerging threats, Frazer-Nash proposes a comprehensive “secure-by-design” model. The approach prioritizes Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE), which embeds cybersecurity principles into every stage of SBSP development from design and testing to deployment and operations.
Other key recommendations include:
- Adoption of international cybersecurity standards such as IEC 62443 and NIST CSF.
- Rigorous supply chain security protocols.
- Insider threat awareness programs.
Space-based solar power Early engagement with regulators.
Public communication strategies to address misinformation, especially concerning space debris and microwave safety.
Multinational cooperation to establish shared orbital norms and data exchange.
The physical architecture of SBSP is typically modular and sparsely deployed in geostationary orbit, also offering inherent protection against single-point failures and collision risks, enhancing the system’s long-term resilience.
As SBSP inches closer to real-world deployment, Frazer-Nash stresses the urgency of addressing its security posture before commercialization. With energy security now entwined with space and cyber domains, the firm’s findings highlight a pressing need to treat SBSP as critical national infrastructure from day one.
“Space-based solar power has immense promise—but also immense exposure,” the report cautions. “Failing to secure it now could make it a target before it becomes an asset.”
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