French Space Agency, CNES, Signs MOU with Space ISAC
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, April 10, 2024 — Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space ISAC) is pleased to announce that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales (CNES). CNES is the government agency responsible for shaping and implementing France’s space policy in Europe. Its task is to invent the space systems of the future, bring space technologies to maturity and guarantee France’s independent access to space. This development will immediately positively impact the global space community and increase international collaboration opportunities.
Both organizations have complementary missions regarding collaboration to share information about cybersecurity risks or mitigations that may assist space sector companies or their government partners. By entering this agreement, Space ISAC and CNES will offer bidirectional sharing of cyber and physical threats to the space sector. Furthermore, this MOU creates opportunities for collaboration and cooperation regarding development and deployment of cybersecurity requirements including recommendations, guidelines and standards.
According to Erin Miller, Executive Director of the Space ISAC, “We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with CNES, the National Centre for Space Studies. This agreement underscores our unwavering commitment to enhancing cybersecurity within the global space community. By joining forces, we strive to foster international collaboration, share vital information, and bolster the resilience of our industry against emerging threats. This initiative exemplifies our industry leadership and expertise on a global scale, charting a path towards a safer and more secure space ecosystem for all nations involved.”
The partnership between CNES and Space ISAC will greatly benefit the Space ISAC and its community by enhancing information sharing capabilities and increasing international space awareness through collaborative efforts with the French Space Agency.
Looking ahead, Space ISAC and CNES have multiple collaborative opportunities to collectively achieve the goal of securing global space, from research projects to coordinated response mechanisms, thus paving the way for a safer and more secure space environment.
BACKGROUND
Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) is a 501(c)(6) organization that serves as the all-threats security information source for the public and private space sector. Founded in 2019, Space ISAC became an official member of the National Council of ISACs in 2020. The Space ISAC Watch Center achieved initial operational capability in March 2023.
Space ISAC is located at the Kevin W O’Neil Cybersecurity Research and Education Building at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The Space ISAC serves to facilitate collaboration across the global space industry to enhance our ability to prepare for and respond to vulnerabilities, incidents, and threats; to disseminate timely and actionable information among member entities; and to serve as the primary communications channel for the sector with respect to this information. After opening the Watch Center in 2023, member services include support for response, mitigation, and resilience initiatives, while breaking down communication silos of public-private information sharing.
Space ISAC founding members include: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH), MITRE, SES, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), Purdue University, the Space Dynamics Laboratory, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, The Aerospace Corporation, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Microsoft, L3Harris, Deloitte and Capella Space.
