The German startup company, Vyoma, has recently ordered two pilot satellites to be used in their proposed constellation for debris-monitoring purposes. These satellites are intended to be launched into a Low Earth Orbit and track other LEO objects that are 10 centimeters or larger using onboard optical telescopes. This data would supplement information that Vyoma currently provides from third party ground based sensors. The plan is for Vyoma to launch these satellites by the end of 2024 so that they can begin to supplement the current space situational awareness information and data that Vyoma provides.
This information comes in the same week that another startup company, Scout Space, in a partnership with Stanford University Space Rendezvous Laboratory has won a 1.5 million dollar contract to help the US Space Force track and characterize spacecraft and debris objects. Scout and SLAB plan on preforming , “the characterization of location, motion, and other data of objects in space for space domain awareness requires well-defined processes for processing sensor data.”
From the most recent articles on Scout Space and SLAB, it is unclear what the satellite sources will be for the sensor data used for tracking orbital debris. Regardless of the specific source, data sharing across multiple parties and organizations will be essential for collecting and analyzing all the needed data. For this to work in a safe and secure manor, robust security architectures must be in place to minimize the risk involved from a cybersecurity perspective. Additionally, cybersecurity measures should be in place not only for the ground systems involved but also for the onboard assets that are being used for tracking and monitoring all LEO satellites and objects.