Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP)

Description

An EMP delivers a broadband, high-amplitude electromagnetic transient that couples into spacecraft electronics and harnesses, upsetting or damaging components over wide areas. In space, the archetype is a high-altitude nuclear event whose prompt fields induce immediate upsets and whose secondary radiation environment elevates dose and charging for an extended period along affected orbits. Consequences include widespread single-event effects, latch-ups, permanent degradation of sensitive devices, and accelerated aging of solar arrays and materials. The effect envelope is large and largely indiscriminate: multiple satellites within view can experience simultaneous anomalies consistent with intense electromagnetic stress and enhanced radiation.

Mappings

EU regulation articles

eu-space-actArt. 82(1)
addresses
high
direct
EMP coupling into spacecraft electronics is the canonical physical-resilience case under 82(1) — design hardening (shielding, surge protection, latch-up immunity) is part of Annex VII point 3 measures.
eu-space-actArt. 86(3)
addresses
moderate
direct
High-altitude EMP affects multiple satellites within view — 86(3)'s constellation-redundancy and geographical-splitting clauses limit single-event mission loss.
nis2-implAnnex 13.2.1
addresses
high
derived
EMP transients couple into spacecraft electronics; protection-against-physical-and-environmental-threats obligations cover the design measures (radiation hardening, harness shielding, transient-suppression) that reduce EMP consequences.

ENISA controls

ENISA-STL-2025-03-sD.35-i08
addresses
moderate
Failsafe and hot-swap mechanisms reduce the impact of EMP-induced single-event effects, latch-ups, and component degradation.

Cross-reference controls

mitre-attack-icsT0879 Damage to Property
addresses
moderate
EMP physically damages spacecraft electronics; T0879 'Damage to Property' covers electronic-property damage at cross-tactic and cross-domain level.
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
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5CP-13 Alternative Security Mechanisms
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5CP-2 Contingency Plan
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
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-rev5CP-2(7)Coordinate with External Service Providers
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
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-19 Information Leakage
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-20 Asset Monitoring and Tracking
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-21 Electromagnetic Pulse Protection
mitigates
high
Referenced in: sparta-data
PE-21 (Electromagnetic Pulse Protection) employs protective measures specifically against electromagnetic pulse damage for organization-defined systems and components. EX-0018.01's defining vector is exactly an EMP transient coupling into spacecraft electronics and harnesses to upset or damage components, and that EMP-damage threat is the technique's entire dominant scope. PE-21 interdicts that vector directly (it is the literal EMP-hardening / shielding control), satisfying the strict universal mitigates bar of interdicting both the defining vector and the dominant scope. This is the codified canonical home for the EMP/HPM vector per the SI-13 scope exclusion rule, restoring the correct control after the wrong SI-13 edge was removed.
nist-80053-rev5PE-6 Monitoring Physical Access
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-6(1)Intrusion Alarms and Surveillance Equipment
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-6(2)Automated Intrusion Recognition and Responses
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-6(4)Monitoring Physical Access to Systems
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PE-9 Power Equipment and Cabling
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5PM-16 Threat Awareness Program
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
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
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5RA-3 Risk Assessment
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
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
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SA-3 System Development Life Cycle
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
nist-80053-rev5SA-8 Security and Privacy Engineering Principles
relates to
moderate
Referenced in: sparta-data
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
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-rev5SI-4(17)Integrated Situational Awareness
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
Mapped by SPARTA, not curated by SafeMode Space.
space-shieldT2028 Resource damage
addresses
moderate
T2028 'Resource damage' covers damaging space resources to cause mission loss — addresses EX-0018.01 EMP's broadband electromagnetic-transient damage to spacecraft electronics. SPACE-SHIELD has no EMP-specific technique.

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.
CM0077 Space Domain Awareness
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.
CM0081 Defensive Jamming and Spoofing
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.

Cite as SafeMode Space, EX-0018.01 (SPARTA v3.2).

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

# Description