A recent article, by Theresa Hitchens in Breaking Defense, states the U.S. Department of Commerce is preparing to launch the initial version of its new Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCCS) on September 30, 2024, following an agreement with the Department of Defense (DoD). This system is designed to warn space operators about potential collisions and will eventually manage space situational awareness for both U.S. and foreign commercial and civil satellite operators. Initially, only a small group of beta users will have access to a limited set of data sources. The transition of this responsibility from the DoD to Commerce has been slow, largely due to security concerns over sharing sensitive military data with non-military users. The DoD and Commerce will continue to operate their space tracking systems in parallel until TraCCS can achieve performance equivalent to the military’s capabilities.
The cybersecurity implications of the new TraCCS system are significant, as it involves the transfer of highly sensitive data from military sources to a civilian-operated system. This transition raises concerns about the protection of classified information, especially as it becomes accessible to a broader range of users, including commercial entities. The potential for cyber threats increases as adversaries may attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in the system to gain unauthorized access to space situational awareness data. Ensuring robust cybersecurity measures and protocols are in place is crucial to safeguard against espionage, data breaches, and other cyber threats that could compromise national security and the safety of space operations.