The general objective of this topic is to conduct research activities on space-based technologies contributing to the protection of space-based assets against a wide range of threats and to demonstrate the feasibility of selected technological solutions.

This topic aims at studying the repartition of functionalities between ground- and space-based components to achieve an effective protection of the space assets, taking into account the interfaces with a wider space surveillance network for military space situational awareness: e.g. repartition of the sensors (on-board – as a primary or secondary sensor – or on the ground) and an overall preliminary system layout linked to a command and control (C2) approach to gather data and then elaborate a common operational picture of threats.

The proposals must address the identification and consolidation of the main threats against generic space assets and associated vulnerabilities, the identification of technical solutions or adaptation of procedures to counter these threats, as well as the definition of the overall preliminary architecture for the elaboration of a comprehensive approach (satellite, C2 and system layout) to deal with these threats.

The proposals must consider at least the following threats:

• interference, uplink and downlink jamming and spoofing;
• electromagnetic pulse attacks, high-energy lasers and high-powered microwave weapons;
• physical attacks (e.g. threatening objects coming from intended space debris generation, as well as co-orbital and ground based anti-satellite weapons (ASAT)).

The proposals must consider technologies contributing:

• to the detection and identification of the threats, including, but not limited to, anti-satellite weapons and space objects with unexpected behaviour, using data processing for space applications and spectral signature;
• and to the protection of the space assets;

such as:

• passive or active optical sensors, radar sensors, on-board processing for proximity surveillance and tracking, including AI-based on-board elaboration for high-level actionable information extraction from measurements to support autonomous decision-making and manoeuver;
• manoeuvrability to protect platform and payload, including technologies for instantaneous, rapid and agile evasive manoeuvres to escape objects that carry out suspicious/attacking proximity manoeuvres;
• technologies to protect satellite communication resources and C2 activities access from unwanted usage;
• electronic support measures (ESM) sensors for space assets;
• protection against high-energy laser, electromagnetic pulse attack and high-power microwave (HPM) weapons;
• technologies allowing various level of autonomy and generation of pre-processed information for data volume reduction during transmission to ground.