Donald Trump signs SPD-5 establishing US' first cybersecurity policy for space systems

US President Donald Trump on Friday signed Space Policy Directive-5 (SPD-5), establishing a set of principles for protecting the nation's space assets from various cyber threats.

Americans rely on capabilities provided by space systems in everyday life and President Trump’s directive promotes practices to protect the country’s space systems and capabilities from cyber vulnerabilities and malicious threats, said Scott Pace, executive secretary of the National Space Council.

The Space Policy Directive-5 provides a government framework to safeguard space assets and critical infrastructure, he added. The SPD-5 cybersecurity measures will be incorporated into all stages of space-system development and operations.

Along with protective software, the directive will be used for screening everyone who touches the command lines for a spacecraft, monitoring ground-based networks for intrusion and encrypting the telemetry links between a satellite and the ground.

SPD-5 also recognizes the large role of the private sector, directing government agencies to work with commercial space companies to establish cybersecurity norms throughout America’s industrial base for space systems.

READ | SpaceX Launches 60 Starlink Satellites, Nails Rocket Landing Despite Delays

READ | NASA Creates Fifth State Of Matter Aboard The International Space Station

'Russia, China challenging US' space dominance'

US officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, have stressed that the nation's long-held space dominance is being greatly challenged by Russia and China. The signing of SPD-5 connects with that narrative.

The directive, however, is not a response to any particular threat. It rather represents a development of the Trump administration's overall cybersecurity efforts for the past few years, the official said.

As its name suggests, SPD-5 is the fifth space policy directive signed by President Trump. SPD-1 had officially put the nation on a crewed course back to the moon, SPD-2 eased regulations on commercial spaceflight companies, SPD-3 dealt with space-traffic management while SPD-4 directed the Department of Defence to create the US Space Force.

READ | NASA Appoints Robyn Gatens As Acting Director For International Space Station

READ | Space X Launch On Sunday Creates Loud Sonic Boom In Florida, Residents Scared

(Image credits: AP)