Space-cyber nexus

 The "space-cyber nexus" is a key term in contemporary strategic and legal scholarship, particularly following high-profile incidents like the cyberattack on the Viasat satellite network in Ukraine.¹

While many authors and military doctrines address the interdependence of space and cyber, some key scholars and policy-focused groups are specifically dedicated to defining and governing this nexus:²

Key Scholars and Authors on the Space-Cyber Nexus

Author(s)	Focus Area(s)	Noteworthy Work/Concept
Eytan Tepper, Scott Shackelford, et al	International Law, Governance, and Warfare Theory	They are prominent for their work arguing that the Space-Cyber Nexus should be treated as a de facto Sixth Warfighting Domain that current international law does not adequately govern. Their article, The Sixth Warfighting Domain?: Governing the Space-Cyber Nexus, is a major reference.
Bleddyn Bowen	Critical Spacepower Theory, Militarization	A leading scholar in Astropolitics, his work on spacepower doctrine emphasizes that most counter-space activities (especially jamming and cyberattacks) occur through the ground segment (cyber/terrestrial), linking the two domains as the most plausible avenue for conflict.
Nivedita Raju and Lora Saalman	Geopolitics, Arms Control, and Case Studies	They have focused on the practical application of the nexus, particularly analyzing the Space and Cyberattacks in Ukraine and their implications for international space and cyber governance frameworks (e.g., through their work for SIPRI).
Jessica West	Security and Policy, Human-Centric Security	Her work focuses on the intersection of space and cybersecurity, often taking a security and policy approach to issues like vulnerability, attribution, and the importance of cybersecurity for space systems.
Anne-Sophie Martin	International Law and Regulation	Author of "Outer Space, the Final Frontier of Cyberspace: Regulating Cybersecurity Issues in Two Interwoven Domains," which examines the legal and regulatory gaps at this intersection.
Gregory Falco	Technology, Policy, and Governance	Known for work on the practical cybersecurity challenges of space systems and the governmental/policy gaps, such as The Ungoverned Space of US Space-Cyber Governance.

Policy and Institutional Contributors

The concept is also heavily promoted by institutional entities:

• US Military/US Space Force: Their formal adoption of Space and Cyberspace as two of the five official operational domains, and the emphasis on Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), makes the nexus the core of their operational strategy.

• Chatham House: This think tank has published a series of papers highlighting the urgent need for new regimes due to the "escalatory cycle" of the space-cyber realm, emphasizing the nexus as the main mode of future space warfare.

The space-cyber nexus refers to the critical and inseparable relationship between the space domain (satellites and their related infrastructure) and the cyberspace domain (the interdependent networks, information technology, and data flows).¹

In essence, it highlights the fact that:

1. Space systems depend on Cyber systems:² Satellites, which provide vital services like GPS, communications, and intelligence, cannot function without their ground segment.³ This ground segment—which includes the mission control centers, data processing facilities, and the communication links—is entirely within the cyberspace domain and is vulnerable to cyberattacks.

2. Cyber effects can be projected to Space: An attack on a terrestrial network (a cyberattack) can be used to disrupt, degrade, or even destroy a satellite system (a space-based asset). This makes cyber warfare the most likely and most accessible method of conducting anti-satellite (counterspace) operations.

3. Governance Challenge: The nexus creates a major challenge for international security and law, as actions taken in one domain (cyber) have effects in another (space). This complicates issues of attribution (who launched the attack) and the appropriate legal or military response.

Because of this interdependence, the space-cyber nexus is increasingly viewed as the primary battleground for future conflict, sometimes even referred to as the "Sixth Warfighting Domain." The cyberattack on the Viasat satellite network in Ukraine, which occurred just as Russia invaded, is often cited as a major real-world example of conflict at this nexus.