Moonlighter, a five (5) kilogram mini-satellite, will be the hacking target of five (5) teams during the DEF CON security conference in Las Vegas this August. The shoebox sized satellite is currently orbiting low-earth after being launched into space aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Nine (9). The goal at DEF CON is for the hackers to figure out a method of hijacking the satellite, but the satellite’s main mission is to help researchers further safeguard satellite systems from being hacked by offering professional hackers with a playground to perform cyber exercises. Previous satellite cyberattacks have been recorded, such as the European Space Agency’s ethical hacking exercise back in April 2023, or the security researcher who hacked SpaceX’s Starlink satellite in 2022 as a part of their bug bounty program. The Moonlighter satellite is special though, because its communication method doesn’t rely on ground-based stations for communication and commands. Moonlighter is therefore much more resilient and autonomous, being able to maintain communication during compromised situations and ultimately allowing for space-based cyber experiments that are “repeatable, realistic, and secure.” Satellite security has been an ever-growing concern, with NASA having warned about the consequences of hackers disrupting communications between spacecrafts and ground control back in 2008. The Cyberspace Solarium Commission recently recommended that the US add space as a critical infrastructure sector, encouraging greater efforts to protect satellites and space systems against cyber-attacks. Satellite security was highlighted again more recently during the Russian-Ukrainian conflicts where satellites have been targeted to disrupt communications during critical times. Simulated cyber-attacks and other space-based cyber experiments will help create more cyber-resilient architecture for the future that will be better equipped to protect the “next frontier” of cyberspace.