USAF Test Pilot School pioneers space cyber test workshop Published June 10, 2025 By Maj. James Ross Air Force Test Pilot School EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Air Force Test Pilot School recently marked a significant milestone in space education, hosting an inaugural Space Cyber Test workshop developed and tailored by the Stephenson Stellar Corporation with sponsorship from the Air Force Research Laboratory. The workshop, held May 6-8, provided the students a hands-on immersion into satellite testing from a cyber warfare perspective and covering the vulnerabilities inherent in satellite operations. The school established a formal Space Test Course in 2024 in collaboration with the United States Space Force. In an increasingly contested space domain, understanding and mitigating cyber threats to satellite links and operations is paramount for future test leaders. The curriculum in the new workshop covered a variety of topics, systematically building up the students' understanding of the cyber landscape within the space domain. Day one of the workshop covered the basics of space and cyber operations, including how to conduct a cyber threat analysis and utilize COSMOS, the satellite operations software used for the practical events. The second day covered satellite commanding, factors in spacecraft resiliency and survivability, and log file manipulation. The final day covered satellite configuration and held a capstone exercise where the students applied what they learned. The comprehensive nature of the workshop aimed to cover various attack vectors and vulnerabilities relevant to on-orbit systems. The syllabus was structured to maximize practical application of the content while providing a solid overview of cyber test and evaluation considerations. Students came to class each day having pre-read articles on the day’s topics, providing foundational knowledge before transitioning into an in-depth lecture. The core of the daily instruction, however, revolved around hands-on hacking exercises to give the students practical experience. Each day wrapped up with a homework assignment to reinforce the concepts learned. This dynamic approach ensured participants not only grasped theoretical principles but also gained practical experience in identifying and exploiting cyber vulnerabilities within space systems. A key highlight of the workshop was the emphasis on real-world application, specifically the hands-on hacking of satellites. Participants utilized COSMOS, a commercial off the shelf (COTS) satellite command and control framework commonly used to develop operating software for small satellites. COSMOS remotely connected to a Stephenson Stellar-owned “FlatSats”, an operational satellite hardware connected and utilized in a lab, within a hardware-in-the-loop system. This innovative setup allowed students to simulate realistic cyberattacks on satellite systems in a controlled environment, providing invaluable experience in understanding how adversaries might attempt to disrupt or compromise space assets. By directly interacting with these simulated systems, students gained a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of satellite cyber security and the factors that they need to test for. From the Test Pilot School’s perspective, the workshop was a game-changer for the Space Test Course students. The collaboration with Stephenson Stellar Corporation and AFRL proved instrumental due to. their expertise in cyber warfare and space systems. As the world becomes increasingly reliant on space-based capabilities, the importance of robust cyber test and evaluation for the space domain cannot be overstated. Future iterations of the workshop will build on the initial content, adjusting it as needed to maintain relevancy in an evolving landscape. The new curriculum addition is a testament to TPS’s and the U.S. Space Force's proactive approach in ensuring the resilience and security of America’s vital space assets.