EU Space ISAC is advancing space collaboration in Europe, with new working groups to strengthen security

Various coordination and launch meetings took place in September, for the working groups that will become part of EU Space ISAC’s regular activities beginning in October. EU Space ISAC is an initiative supported by the European Commission (EC) and European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), via the EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence. It represents a collaborative effort to help companies operating in the European Union’s space industry exchange information, raise awareness, and share recommended practices as a way of strengthening their security. The aim is to improve the resilience of the EU’s space sector, and to make progress on preventing, managing, and mitigating security-related challenges. 

Specifically, a General Assembly meeting was held on September 20th, at which the EC and EUSPA informed the companies that they had been approved as ISAC members, with new participants also accepted into the organization. 

Two working groups being led by GMV were also launched at these recent meetings. One will be addressing threats in the space environment (including everything from electromagnetic threats to cyber threats), while the other will focus on standardization of space-related policies. It is expected that these working groups will be presenting their first results in January. 

A proposal was also raised at these meetings to invite European lawmakers working on security issues in Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, to discuss their security policies related to critical cybersecurity matters, such as European legislation on accreditation, certification policies, and the vulnerabilities of CIS systems.