"A hostage crisis in space may sound like something from a movie, but given the increase in space travel, space industry, and space tourism, such an attack is almost inevitable in the coming decade," commented Marc Feldman, Executive Director of CSCPG and one of the report's co-authors. "Our paper is not a criticism of the government's lack of readiness for such an episode, but rather an assessment of where things stand based on current command structures, budgets, and operating assumptions. In our view, there is time to prepare for a malicious actor taking hostages in space, but the work needs to begin soon."

The paper draws parallels to terrestrial hostage situations, which are common and often involve criminal cartels, pirates, and violent non-state actors. The report emphasizes that space criminals, possibly funded by powerful organizations, could use cyberattacks to remotely control a commercial space station's command and control (C2) systems, enabling them to take hostages in orbit.

Feldman collaborated on the report with JD Cole, a former intelligence analyst, and Hugh Taylor, CSCPG's Director. Feldman and Taylor also co-authored an upcoming book, 'Space Piracy: Preparing for a Criminal Crisis in Orbit', set for release by John Wiley and Sons in January 2025.

Research Report:What Will Happen in the First Space Hostage Crisis?

Related Links
The Center for the Study of Space Crime, Piracy, and Governance
Military Space News at SpaceWar.com