PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
Taking advantage of the upgrading of the Spacecraft Computer Unit (SCU) towards a more optimized architecture, for Eurostar 3000 (E3000) Satellite platform and supported by ESA ARTES4 R&D funding, EADS Astrium has designed and developed a new security function for the Telecommand (TC) link between the Ground and Space segments.
The aim of the new security function is to provide better confidentiality protection for the TC data and to provide at the same time all the guarantees about the authentication of the source of the data, and their integrity.
This security function is based on the use of the AES algorithm, for the protection of the data and on the use of the GCM mode for the implementation of the upper security layer, more dedicated to the authentication and to the integrity aspects.
Security methods, AES and GCM modes are based on the NIST standards; FIPS 197 and SP800-38D, and are implemented within the dedicated module of E3000 Data Handling Subsystem (DHS), named AES CDU.
The main benefits of this product and its associated services are:
- Confidentiality: security service to keep the content of information accessible to only those authorized to access it – encryption,
- Integrity: security service to make sure that data is not modified, deleted or inserted with other data by unauthorised users – checksum or signature,
- Authentication: service assuring that origin of messages is correctly identified – signature.
Challenges
- New Hardware definition and design with entailing a minimum the SW design,
- Complete non regression tests shall validate modification and their side effects,
- Complete qualification of the AES EQM with a SCU EM.
Plan
The design and development plan of the AES covers the following activities:
- Specification, design definition & qualification of the equipment, and hardware manufacturing (EM, EQM),
- AES accommodation on the E3000 spacecraft,
- Avionic validation of the unit inside its platform environment (Avionic test bench campaign),
- On-board software development & non-regression tests of AES evolutions,
- Specification & definition of the Harness & Database for AES product in the satellite process,
- Satellite AIT EGSE & test procedures upgrades,
- Flight procedures upgrades.
To run these activities, the development plan was a standard development logic separated in several phases (Kick Off, BDR (internal), MTR, QRR, Final review).
The validation of each phases and the passage to the next phase being made through formal reviews, and consolidated through a risk mitigation action plan. Building and successful testing of an Engineering Qualification Model (EQM) was mandatory to demonstrate the compliance to the unit technical requirements, but also for the functional chain validation and notably the compatibility with E3000 Flight Software.
Current Status
- Option 3 of the Contract formalised between ESA and Astrium in March 2007,
- Kick Off held in December 2009,
- Assembly of first EM achieved in June 2010,
- AES BDR held in June 2010,
- AES MTR held in October 2010,
- AES FR held in June 2011,
- First Proto Flight AES: Launched in September 2011