Relevance: GS-3 (Science & Technology – Security, Space, Indigenization) | Source: The Hindu / Indian Express

1. What is the Core Issue?

Space wars are no longer about shooting missiles to blow up satellites. Today, enemies use silent, invisible cyber-attacks. They hack, block, or confuse our satellites without leaving any physical proof behind. As India launches more private satellites, protecting them from these digital attacks is our newest national security challenge.

2. How are Satellites Attacked?

An administrator must know the specific methods used in modern space warfare:

• Jamming: Blocking the communication signals so the satellite cannot talk to stations on Earth.
• Spoofing: Feeding fake data to the satellite (for example, sending wrong GPS locations to confuse civilian airplanes and navy ships).
• Bricking: A deadly cyber-attack that permanently kills the satellite’s internal computer system, turning an expensive asset into useless space junk.

3. India’s Big Milestone: Mission Drishti

Recently, an Indian start-up named GalaxEye launched Mission Drishti, India’s largest privately-built Earth observation satellite.

• The Technology (OptoSAR): It is the world’s first satellite to combine normal digital cameras (Electro-Optical) with advanced radar (SAR).
• The Benefit: While normal satellite cameras go blind at night or during cloudy weather, OptoSAR can take crystal-clear pictures of the Earth 24/7, penetrating through thick clouds, heavy rain, and complete darkness.

4. The “Dual-Use” Danger

• What is it? Highly advanced satellites like Mission Drishti are “dual-use”. They are used for civilian welfare (like guiding NDRF rescue teams during floods) but are also actively used by the military (for constant border surveillance).
• The Risk: Because the military relies on these commercial satellites for intelligence, enemies now treat them as prime targets. The traditional rule of not attacking civilian assets during war is slowly collapsing.

5. The Two Big Legal & Policy Challenges

Protecting our space assets exposes two massive international loopholes:

• The Legal Loophole: International law (like the UN Charter) prohibits physical violence between nations. But if an enemy country silently hacks and “bricks” an Indian satellite without firing a single bullet, does it officially count as an act of war? Current global laws have no clear answer.
• The Attribution Problem: In the digital world, hackers hide behind fake networks. If our satellite is attacked, it is incredibly difficult to scientifically prove who did it (Attribution). If India cannot instantly identify the attacker, we cannot retaliate or stop them.

UPSC Value Box

• OptoSAR Technology: A world-first hybrid technology combining visual cameras and radar to ensure uninterrupted, all-weather satellite imaging.
• Dual-Use Assets: Technologies or infrastructure that serve both everyday civilian needs and critical military functions.
• IN-SPACe: The official Indian government body created to promote, handhold, and regulate private space companies (like the makers of Mission Drishti).

With reference to modern space technology and orbital security, consider the following statements:

1. Mission Drishti uses OptoSAR technology to provide clear satellite imagery, which remains unaffected by cloud cover or nighttime conditions.
2. Under the UN Charter, a cyber-attack that disables a country’s satellite without causing physical destruction is clearly defined and punished as an act of war.
3. In space cybersecurity, the term ‘spoofing’ refers to sending fake data to a satellite system to mislead navigation systems.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)