Evaluating Space as the Next Critical Infrastructure Sector
and government sectors helps drive to the commercially led partnership similar again to other forms of CI . The last three elements clearly speak to building efficient CI protection for space through utilizing commercial successes to increase resilience through networking and innovation .
Moltz ’ s clear path establishes while an agency may lead for protection , the commercial involvement will drive eventual success . The companies and development of local spaceports means the demand for space will continue to grow . As the demand grows , the sector must be protected and that protection between commercial and federal assets calls for efficient CI protection at all levels . Many companies today use complex , non-networked platforms which lack resiliency , coordinating U . S . efforts could increase control , and the economic return . While federal and commercial bodies exist to regulate various space functions , no central agency or networking function as required for CI protection . This body could also alleviate some responsibilities as the U . S . Space Force stands up , similar to how the Department of Commerce intends to assume Space Traffic Management responsibilities .
One key gap during this study was the lack of any coordinated body established to review and assess CI security areas for the U . S as an aggregate function . The areas selected since 1996 do not appear to undergo any active review or renewal process . Infrastructure changes , the pace of commercial technology like Space X , and even the growing Internet of Things suggest a more frequent and objective process is needed rather than the political vagaries from administration to administration . While the federal government must establish the process and timelines , the true work to defend U . S . space CI will likely fall mostly on the commercial sector . This will happen for two reasons , first , cyber actions will likely occur more under contractors and delivered equipment than as government actions . Second , expansions into the commercial market , private space travel for tourism , and the ease of maintaining low-cost satellites will create enhanced interest . Current satellite databases show just over 2500 satellites orbiting Earth but Space-X plans to launch over 42,000 in the next decade as part of their Starlink expansion ( Union of Concerned Scientists , 2020 ); ( Sheetz & Petrova , Why in the next decade companies will launch thousands more satellites than in all of the history , 2019 ).
As a final recommendation , the expansion of space , and the results of this evaluation suggest space should be included as soon as possible as a CI element for DHS . The study demonstrated space poses significant benefits to public safety through global navigation services and communication . The expanding space sector will continue to increase overall economic benefits as more and more corporations seek to secure space-based services . If nothing else , the sheer value of space-based assets to U . S . national security demand this sector should be evaluated and promoted to a DHS CI sector within the next 12 months . Any argument sug-
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