ESA is launching CyberCUBE on 7th July, on the SpaceX Transporter flight. The CyberCUBE project, realized by GMV, is designed to strengthen cybersecurity for space infrastructure. The initiative centers on creating an operational in-orbit testbed that demonstrates how advanced cyber tools can protect satellites and ground systems. Moreover, CyberCUBE will provide a real-world environment to test and improve data analysis methods that detect threats and respond to potential intrusions in space operations.
The CyberCUBE mission will place a practical emphasis on validating the radio frequency capabilities of ESA’s Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC). A key element is the demonstration of onboard and ground-based analytics that monitor cybersecurity in real time. The project will feature an onboard laboratory that stays in orbit for testing and development. This in-space platform will enable the trial of cryptographic techniques and key management approaches while collecting security data from active systems.
GMV leads the project with a consortium that includes its teams in Romania and Spain, along with Alén Space. The arrangement covers the entire lifecycle of the mission: from initial specification and design to procurement, assembly, verification, validation, launch, and the long phase of in-orbit operations and early life support. The goal is a cost-effective, reconfigurable capability that lets ESA try new technologies in orbit, reduce risk, and speed up the use of cybersecurity solutions on future missions.
The satellite is planned to stay operational for at least a year, during which it will generate data on vulnerabilities and resilience. On the ground side, GMV will contribute components such as the Alén Space Mission Control Center integrated with GMV’s focussuite COTS product, and a representative flatsat. ESA’s CSOC will serve as the primary user, handling mission requests, ingesting raw data, and performing cybersecurity analysis.
GMV will also manage the launch segment to ensure successful deployment into the targeted orbit. The mission will orbit in a configuration that maintains regular contact with ESA’s antenna network at the European Space Security and Education Centre (ESEC) in Redu, Belgium. After commissioning and the LEOP phase, control of CyberCUBE will transfer to ESA for routine operations. Findings from the mission will inform future cybersecurity planning, and any extensions will be considered based on performance and resources. When the satellite reaches the end of its operational life, it will be decommissioned in line with ESA’s Space Debris Mitigation Policy.
