Space Debris That Isn't Debris - Cybersecurity Analysis on Hidden Space Structures

In 2014, the Russian satellite, Kosmos 2499, was launched into Low Earth Orbit. However, it was tracked and cataloged as a piece of space debris by U.S. Space Command, as it lay dormant for 3-4 months, mimicking the behavior of space debris. It only spiked an investigation after the “debris” changed its trajectory, “springing to life” when other satellites were in its vicinity. Through further investigation, U.S. Space Command discovered the operational satellite, Kosmos 2499, and its mission intent, to disable and/or destroy satellites within its vicinity [1]. This is not an isolated case. There are large quantities of unknown space objects in our orbits - hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of uncorrelated debris [2], and adversaries have used that fact to their advantage, hiding structures and leaving them dormant to be overlooked and undetected until needed. To counter such threats, at the end of this research, the goal is to produce an autonomous algorithm that would compare real-time debris positions from a catalog to a trajectory prediction program. This algorithm can then flag whether or not a piece of debris is positioned where it should be after a set period of time. If a piece of debris is not where it was predicted to be, we approach the situation with a flowchart methodology to determine the potential threats and risks our assets in space may be facing. This research and result can become a pivotal asset to U.S. security processes and defense, eliminating the surprise prematurely and instigating appropriate defense procedures. References [1] A. Zak, “Kosmos-2499: Is it a spy or an assassin... or both?”, https://www.russianspaceweb.com/Cosmos-2499.html (accessed 2024). [2] ESA Space Debris Office, “ESA’s space environment report 2023,” ESA, https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/ESA_s_Space_Environment_Report_2023 (accessed 2024).