Non-Kinetic Physical Attack

Description

The adversary inflicts physical effects on a satellite without mechanical contact, using energy delivered through the environment. Principal modalities are electromagnetic pulse (EMP), high-power laser (optical/thermal effects), and high-power microwave (HPM). These methods can be tuned for reversible disruption (temporary sensor saturation, processor upsets) or irreversible damage (component burnout, optics degradation), and may be executed from ground, airborne, or space platforms given line-of-sight and power/aperture conditions. Forensics are often ambiguous: signatures may resemble environmental phenomena or normal degradations, and confirmation of effect is frequently limited to what the operator observes in telemetry or performance loss.

Mappings

EU regulation articles

eu-space-actArt. 82(1)
addresses
high
direct
Non-kinetic physical attacks (lasers, HPM, EMP) are exactly the physical resilience case 82(1) covers — the obligation to take measures laid down in Annex VII point 3 to ensure resilience of physical assets.
eu-space-actArt. 86(3)
addresses
moderate
direct
Wide-area non-kinetic effects (EMP) require constellation/regional redundancy — 86(3)'s redundancies and geographical-splitting clause limits per-incident impact.
nis2Art. 21(2)(c)
addresses
moderate
direct
Catastrophic-component-loss continuity (failover to redundant electronics, alternate-orbit operations, mission-end-of-life rehearsals) is core business-continuity, disaster-recovery, and crisis-management practice under Art. 21(2)(c).
nis2-implAnnex 13.2.1
addresses
moderate
direct
Non-kinetic physical attacks (EMP, lasers, HPM) deliver physical effects through the environment; the protection-against-physical-and-environmental-threats obligation requires the entity to design and implement protective measures against these threat classes where appropriate.

ENISA controls

ENISA-STL-2025-03-sD.35-i06
addresses
moderate
Filters and shutters protect optical sensors against laser interference, the high-power-laser variant of EX-0018.
ENISA-STL-2025-03-sD.35-i08
mitigates
moderate
Protective technology — failsafes, load balancing, hot swapping — meets resilience requirements under directed-energy disruption.

Cross-reference controls

mitre-attack-icsT0879 Damage to Property
addresses
moderate
T0879 'Damage to Property' addresses adversary-caused damage to infrastructure/equipment; SPARTA EX-0018 'Non-Kinetic Physical Attack' parent covers DEW/EMP/HPM physical damage — equivalent property-damage outcome. Cross-tactic moderate (impact vs execution); cross-domain.
nist-80053-rev5CP-10(6)Component Protection
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5CP-11 Alternate Communications Protocols
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8323r1, nist-ir-8441
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5CP-13 Alternative Security Mechanisms
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8323r1, nist-ir-8441, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5CP-2 Contingency Plan
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8323r1, nist-ir-8441, nist-ir-8270, nasa-bpg, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5CP-2(1)Coordinate with Related Plans
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5CP-2(2)Capacity Planning
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5CP-2(3)Resume Mission and Business Functions
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5CP-2(5)Continue Mission and Business Functions
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5CP-2(6)Alternate Processing and Storage Sites
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-18 Location of System Components
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, csf-2-0
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-19 Information Leakage
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, csf-2-0, nist-ir-8441, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-20 Asset Monitoring and Tracking
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8323r1, csf-2-0, nist-ir-8441, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-21 Electromagnetic Pulse Protection
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-9 Power Equipment and Cabling
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8323r1, nist-ir-8441
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PM-16 Threat Awareness Program
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8323r1, csf-2-0, nist-ir-8441, nist-ir-8270, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PM-16(1)Automated Means for Sharing Threat Intelligence
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5RA-10 Threat Hunting
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, csf-2-0, nist-ir-8441, nist-ir-8270, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5RA-3 Risk Assessment
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8323r1, nist-ir-8441, nist-ir-8270, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5RA-3(2)Use of All-source Intelligence
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5RA-3(3)Dynamic Threat Awareness
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5RA-6 Technical Surveillance Countermeasures Survey
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8441, nist-ir-8270, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SA-3 System Development Life Cycle
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8323r1, nist-ir-8441, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SA-8 Security and Privacy Engineering Principles
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8323r1, nist-ir-8441, nasa-bpg, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SC-26 Decoys
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SC-30 Concealment and Misdirection
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SC-30(5)Concealment of System Components
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SC-5 Denial-of-service Protection
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, nist-ir-8401, nist-ir-8323r1, nist-ir-8441, nist-ir-8270, nasa-bpg, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SC-5(3)Detection and Monitoring
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SI-4(14)Wireless Intrusion Detection
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SI-4(24)Indicators of Compromise
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SR-8 Notification Agreements
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data, aerospace-tor-2023-02161
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
space-shieldT2028 Resource damage
addresses
high
T2028 'Resource damage' parent covers all attempts to damage a space resource to cause mission loss — addresses EX-0018's non-kinetic physical attacks (EMP, laser, HPM) at the parent level.
space-shieldT2049.002 Optical Jamming (Links/Sensor Blinding)
addresses
moderate
T2049.002 'Optical Jamming (Links/Sensor Blinding)' covers the laser-attack subset of EX-0018 (high-power lasers blinding optical sensors and damaging optical links).

SPARTA countermeasures

CM0009 Threat Intelligence Program
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
CM0074 Distributed Constellations
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
CM0075 Proliferated Constellations
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
CM0078 Space-Based Radio Frequency Mapping
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
CM0079 Maneuverability
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
CM0080 Stealth Technology
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
CM0082 Deception and Decoys
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
CM0085 Electromagnetic Shielding
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
CM0086 Filtering and Shuttering
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.

Cite as SafeMode Space, EX-0018 (SPARTA v3.2).

Built 2026-07-25 from 216 techniques, 334 regulation articles, 125 ENISA controls, 2,610 framework controls, and 90 countermeasures.

# Description