Interviews

Project Overview

Finding security technology issues unique to space

First of all, please give us an overview of this project.
Yoshida: This project is a joint research with Interstellar Technologies Inc. (IST) and Hosei University for NewSpace (space development by private companies), aiming to prevent the hijacking of small spacecrafts and protect valuable data transmitted from them. Ensuring flight security is directly related to public safety, and protecting valuable space data for both academic and commercial purposes is essential for the revitalization of the space business. When considering security in space, there are some unique issues and solutions that are different from those for systems on Earth, and it is important to think from the essence of the problem, not from conventional concepts in the security and space fields.

How did the project get started?
Obana: Dr. Morioka is a former colleague of mine, and I knew of his interest in space from that time. I encountered him at an academic conference after he moved to IST, and things got started from here. I had been collaborating with Dr. Yoshida on the theme of information-theoretically secure cryptography, and I heard that Yoshida-san and Morioka-san had known each other since their student days. We got together at Hosei University right after the conference to start talking about this joint research.

Activities

Doing it immediately after it comes up to our minds.

In July 2019, the year after the project was launched, the team succeeded in an initial experiment on communication security technology with the sounding rocket MOMO F3 "Shift to Space Quality". A year later, the team also succeeded in information-theoretically secure practical wireless communication with MOMOv1. Surprisingly, the demonstration experiments had achieved sufficient results despite the short project interval.
Morioka: I guess the unique thing about us is that we do things immediately after they come up to our minds. This speed is one of the advantages of NewSpace.
Obana: This is the type of joint research where you think as you run. We really appreciate the fact that we can immediately have our method installed in IST’s rocket and confirm its effectiveness on the actual rocket.
Morioka: By trying it out, we find many problems that are different from what we had expected. Thinking is important, but if we do not identify various problems early on, we will never get close to practical solution. The fast iteration of flight experiments leads to the brushing up of research, so I think we are taking a very ideal approach.
Obana: When we carried out the first demonstration experiment, the biggest challenge for achieving information-theoretic security was how to guarantee that the same key is used in sender and receiver. This seems easy when done on the ground, but it is surprisingly difficult in space. The speed with which we were able to conduct the demonstration experiment and the data we obtained from the experiment helped us refine what came up to our minds at the laboratory.

Project Policy

Contribute to the NewSpace community by releasing experimental results to the public

I heard from Senior Researcher Dr. Yoshida earlier that successful experimental results were obtained unexpectedly even when the launches failed (MOMO F4 "Paters Dream" and MOMO F5 "Poupelle of Chimney Town" ).
Yoshida: The security circuits were working properly even in unexpected situations. I believe that as long as a rocket leaves the ground, it is a success as an example of a demonstration experiment, regardless of how far it flies or how it flies.
Morioka: The fact that our security equipment was working even when the launch failed is actually a very important story. It should work when things are normal, but even in an abnormal situation, communication must be uninterrupted to prevent the spread of damage and maintain safety. I think this was a very valuable experiment for practical use, as it demonstrated that the security reliability did not decline even when the rocket entered an unexpected trajectory.
Obana: Anyone can think about ideas at the desk, but I think we are very fortunate to be given an environment where we can put our ideas on an actual device and fly it. This project is a good opportunity for us to demonstrate our ideas, and I hope that we can contribute to the NewSpace community by sharing our findings with people who do not have the opportunity to fly rockets.

I understand that flight data are also being made publicly available at IST. Is it aimed at the development of Japanese NewSpace activities to world level or beyond?
Morioka: It is exactly as you say. We are a private company, so we are a for-profit organization. However, if we talk only from the perspective of one company’s profit, the industry will not expand. Of course, there is the aspect of a for-profit company, but IST also has a mission to make NewSpace take root in Japan. That is why we have an open strategy, and as with our joint research with NICT and Hosei University, our stance is to build good relationships with many other organizations and external collaborators to help develop this field.

Future Prospects

Entering the practical application phase: Contributing to the future of space development

In last year’s demonstration experiment with MOMOv1, you confirmed that communication confidentiality and authentication can be achieved at the highest security level of information-theoretic security at a practical speed (512 kbps). What sort of phase will you enter in the future?
Morioka: In last year’s demonstration experiment, we used the technology in only some noncritical data transmission, but our next goal is to apply to extremely critical information, such as commands sent from the ground to the launch vehicle and position data sent from the launch vehicle to the ground. In other words, we will pass the demonstration phase and enter the phase of practical application.
Obana: Electronic devices are much more prone to failure on a rocket or satellite than on the ground. A rocket flies for a few hours at most, and even if you include the time spent waiting on the ground, it is only a few days. With a satellite, it can be several years at most. I think we will be taking on challenges in this area in the future, but if we want to put security circuits on satellites that can withstand failures over long periods of time, we will need a slightly different design philosophy than those in the past, and the cryptographic technology we use will also have to change.
Morioka: The world has changed dramatically over the past five to ten years as private space development has become more active. The number of satellites being launched has increased dramatically, and the use of space for a wide range of Earth observation and communication has accelerated rapidly. I think it is the best timing for us to introduce new security concepts in our spacecraft at this time.
Yoshida: The Internet originated as a closed computer network funded and developed by the United States. It has since been opened to the world and the private sector, and various related technologies and research have blossomed. I feel that the current research and development in NewSpace are exactly in the same situation. The private sector is finally able to conduct space development, which had been the primary focus of the national government. I believe that this will lead to something similar to what happened with the Internet. We have never witnessed the beginning of the Internet, but with NewSpace, we are witnessing its explosive growth right now. Most importantly, every day we feel the joy of being able to contribute and see our ideas used in space.