CyberCUBE, a 3U CubeSat built by Alén Space and led by GMV Romania, launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on July 7. It is the first ESA mission managed end-to-end by a Romanian private company. The satellite serves as an orbital cybersecurity testbed for ESA, with experiments planned around detecting unauthorized command access, validating post-quantum cryptography, and countering jamming and spoofing threats. With a €1.9mn budget and a 12-month operational life, the platform will be operated by ESA's Cybersecurity Operations Centre and is open to outside researchers. The mission marks a milestone for Romania's space sector and reflects Europe's growing focus on securing its orbital infrastructure.
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