On 27 May 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA) inaugurated a new Cyber Security Operations Centre (C-SOC) at its European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Germany.
This centre is designed to monitor and protect ESA’s digital assets, including satellites, ground stations, and mission control systems. The initiative addresses the growing sophistication of cyber threats and the increasing reliance on space infrastructure in Europe.
The C-SOC operates across two ESA locations: ESOC in Germany and the European Space Security and Education Centre (ESEC) in Belgium. ESOC focuses on mission-critical systems, while ESEC handles corporate IT. This dual-site architecture ensures operational resilience and redundancy.
The centre was developed by a consortium of 19 European companies led by Leonardo, with daily operations managed by Starion, Nexova, and NVISO. This collaboration enhances ESA’s capabilities and strengthens Europe’s industrial leadership in space cybersecurity.
The project was funded through ESA’s General Support Technology Programme, which supports the transition of engineering concepts into operational technologies.
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