CubeSats are low cost, modular satellites that remain vulnerable to cyberattacks due to limited onboard security. Communication failures are common because few missions include strong encryption or real-time fault recovery. As the demand for secure space-based communication grows, there is a need for adaptive cybersecurity strategies designed for small, resource-constrained platforms like CubeSats. To evaluate adaptive cybersecurity strategies for resource-constrained platforms, this project presents a FlatSat-based testbed running Raspbian Linux to simulate CubeSat operations. It integrates COSMOS (OpenC3) for ground station control and GNU Radio with a software defined radio (SDR) to emulate RF threats (jamming and spoofing). Secure communication is implemented using the CubeSat Space Protocol (CSP) with advanced encryption standard (AES) encryption. Environmental sensors and Python scripts will monitor system performance in real time. The system will be evaluated based on its ability to detect and respond to cyberattacks, using metrics such as packet integrity, latency, and recovery time. This research provides a practical, economic framework for testing secure CubeSat communication using open-source tools. Results are hypothesized to demonstrate faster threat detection than unsecured systems. An affordable, open-source solution for testing CubeSat security will support the development of more resilient small satellite systems for NASA and academic research.
