Data from space

[jambouk]

How heavily do you think scientific data sent down from satellites to Earth is encrypted? Does NASA collect the Russian's scientific data, the Indian's, the Japanese's? And vice versa?

I know nothing about encryption, but I just wondered how "secure" each agencies scientific [non-military] data is.

James

 

[JB80]

I would say it is pretty tight, not certain of the in's and out's of it but my wife used to work for GNSS(European version of GPS) and the levels of security are fairly hefty and paramount to the project. Even I was background checked as well as my Mum and Dad back in Australia.

This is also why when they announced Galileo and GNSS the Americans kind of freaked a bit and it was reported they may even shoot the satellites down because GNSS does a better job than the US military run GPS satellites and more to the point they would lose their ability to shut down the European system.

It does read like it would be very hard for other sides to read the encryption but of course nobody will admit to it even if they could.

That said I know that people actively try and decrypt satellite TV streams so they can get TV abroad.
This is an interesting read.... http://resources.infosecinstitute.com/hacking-satellite-look-up-to-the-sky/