VIDEO – Mar 27 CMIST – Laura DeNardis – Cyber Flashpoints in Space
On March 27 2025, the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST), as part of its Scientists and Strategists Speaker Series, hosted Laura DeNardis speaking on ‘Cyber Flashpoints in Space‘.
Almost every critical digital system on Earth—from navigation and financial platforms to national security and the Internet—now heavily relies on space-based infrastructure. However, satellites and space infrastructure face rising threats, such as disruptive attacks from energy weapons, robotic arms in space, and direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles. Additionally, satellite congestion and space debris increase the risk of collisions. Not only is there no sovereignty in space, but the primary stakeholders have also shifted from a handful of nation-state space powers to dozens of spacefaring nations, with a simultaneous increase in privatization. In this talk, Dr. DeNardis discusses some of the most promising strategies for securing cyber infrastructure in space. Looking beyond low-Earth orbit and geosynchronous satellite technologies, efforts are underway to build a solar-system Internet. Given the rapid pace of innovation, Dr. DeNardis addresses the critical anticipatory governance and coordination questions that must be answered now to ensure the design and security of a solar-system Internet for the benefit of humanity.
PRESENTER
Dr. Laura DeNardis – Georgetown University
RESPONDENT
Lauryn Williams – Non-Resident Fellow, CMIST (former DoD)
HOST / MODERATOR
Dr. Audrey Kurth Cronin – Director, CMIST
YOUTUBE | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
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