Spoofing has, for instance, been demonstrated as a means of forcing down drones or redirecting ships, while some high security locations – as well as disrupted international borders – have become notorious for spoofing signals that prevent the reliable use of satnav in their vicinity.

“When a receiver picks up a navigation signal from a satellite, up until now it has no way of confirming that was indeed its source,” comments navigation engineer Stefano Binda, overseeing the project for ESA.

“This can result in ‘spoofing’ – malicious people and organisations using false signals to mislead users about their actual position. This authentication service offers a way to prevent such deception.”