A Security Protocol for Space Link Communication
Michael Krimgen, Daniel Fischer, Thomas P. Engel · SpaceOps 2008 Conference · 2008
When the flrst spacecraft were launched, performance and reliable communication were the main concerns in the design of the communication systems. With more and more spacecraft in operation, and taking into account the experiences from the terrestrial Internet, information security has become an important issue in space communication. The European Space Agency (ESA) has developed a framework for the control and operation of spacecraft (SCOS-2000) which is used in numerous European space missions. SCOS-2000 implements protocols which are deflned by CCSDS (Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems). Currently, this protocol stack does not include authentication and confldentiality. This paper discusses the design of a security layer for the SCOS-2000 protocol and outlines its integration in the architecture of the SCOS-2000 framework. The security layer is realized as a layer-extension of the data-link layer and integrates confldentiality, authentication, integrity and sequence numbering to the existing layer.