Space Piracy: Preparing for a Criminal Crisis in Orbit

by Marc Feldman

Comprehensive exploration of humanity's potential for criminal activities in outer space

Space Preparing for a Criminal Crisis in Orbit is a forward-thinking resource that considers, analyzes, and provides solutions to the influence of the ignoble side of humanity in the realm of outer space, where potential for crime, corruption, piracy, and war increases as the exploitation of space as a commercial resource continues to develop. This book blends the authors' knowledge with that of subject matter experts to deliver a holistic understanding of criminality in space and help readers broaden their horizons beyond their own area of specialization.

Some of the topics explored in this insightful book

Space hacking, from software, data, network, and hardware risks to existing cybersecurity standards and practices in space Criminal organizations that might pursue criminal activities in space, including cartels, kidnappers and devicenappers, and governments Laws and treaties relevant to space crime, such as the Communications Satellite Act and the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 Filled with practical, thought-provoking knowledge and guidance, Space Preparing for a Criminal Crisis in Orbit earns a well-deserved spot on the bookshelves of professionals working in the best of humanity's institutions, including law and intelligence services, finance, insurance and risk management, corporations, and the sciences, who seek to combat what the worst of us may be dreaming up.

256 pages, Hardcover

Published February 11, 2025

Reviews

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

subtitled: Preparing For A Criminal Crisis In Orbit. And this subtitle is very important, as while the authors acknowledge that piracy in space is not a serious problem yet, it certainly has the potential to be so in the not too distant future.

With humanity's increasing exploration of space beyond our atmosphere, it's almost inevitable that crime will follow. And not just the usual crimes of passion one can expect, but crime for profit, including the types of piracy common terrestrially. This isn't just the historical picture of scallywags boarding a ship and taking the booty for themselves but also includes the hijacking of satellites by drones or other means that don't require a physical human presence in outer space. An Intelsat satellite was taken over by Sri Lankan Tamil separatists, for example, to broadcast their propaganda in 2007, leading to a small but significant international incident, with fascinating ramifications for international law going forward.

In that sense, space piracy is already happening, and Marc Feldman and Hugh Taylor use this book to explore not only the current state of affairs but the likely trajectory along which criminality will continue to develop. For grounding, they include an illuminating look at piracy through the ages, to give readers unfamiliar with the history a better idea of how surprisingly crucial it has been to the rise and fall of nations. Ofc, law enforcement has grown in step with the criminals it pursues, but the authors argue that following established maritime law, for example, as precedent for dealing with space crimes is still a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has already bolted. Better for us to be proactive about regulating lawful behavior and its inverse, and establishing jurisdiction -- or, as its stated better in this book, first principles and onward -- so we can be prepared for when the worst happens.

Space Piracy is written in a manner accessible to the generalist, making this an invaluable tome not only for people genuinely interested in the expansion of the legal field but also for science-fiction writers wanting to build complete future worlds. The tone does feel more neo-con than otherwise, with the strange naivete that often accompanies that worldview when it comes to how governments actually work: I bookmarked far too many places where the authors' (hopefully unconscious) bias towards oligarchy was too obvious. Interestingly, the authors' polite disdain for Elon Musk is hilarious given what's happened since this book was written.

That said, the book's thesis is sound, as are most of the suggestions, particularly the idea of establishing principles vs laws. I mean, we can't even agree on internationally acceptable terrestrial laws, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't get a start on the ones that apply to space. This book is a more than decent place to begin.

Space Piracy by Marc Feldman & Hugh Taylor was published February 11 2025 by Wiley and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!

This review originally appeared at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.

[WiseB · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book argues that space piracy is no longer a matter of science fiction - it’s a looming and realistic threat. As the commercial space economy grows into a multitrillion-dollar industry, it will attract the attention of organized crime, cybercriminals, and rogue state actors. Drawing lessons from history, maritime piracy, cyber warfare, and international law, the authors explore how piracy in space might emerge and what we must do - urgently - to prevent it.

The eleven chapters each provide insight from different aspect …

1. Many acts of "space piracy" are technically possible today and are already being attempted in cyber form.
2. The patterns and drivers of historical piracy offer a predictive model for future criminal behavior in space.
3. Where wealth accumulates, risk follows … space will be no exception.
4. Piracy in space will be more complex and diversified than sea piracy, combining cyber, kinetic, and legal tactics.
5. Space piracy will likely begin with and be sustained by cyber attacks, due to low cost and high impact.
6. A fragmented, outdated legal framework invites criminal behavior and undermines deterrence.
7. Organized crime is ready to adapt to space with funding, personnel, and tactics already in place.
8. Space piracy is not just a corporate risk and is a matter of national security and global stability.
9. The economic ecosystem of space will be shaped not just by innovation, but by its ability to manage criminal risk.
10. With timely, multidisciplinary action, space piracy can be mitigated, if not entirely prevented.
11. The future of space isn’t only about exploration … it’s about governance, security, and foresight.

My takeaway is the book can be treated as a blueprint for urgent awareness and systemic resilience, while we should stop imagining space as a utopia and start preparing for its darker possibilities, before the frontier becomes a battlefield.

[Andrew Breza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Space pirates are real! Or at least they will be. That's the thesis of Feldman & Taylor's Space Piracy. The content of the book is interesting about worth considering for space wonks. I found the overall argument pursuasive, though the book makes a big leap between stuff like hacking the computer networks of space agencies, which is already happening, to mafia-owned anti-satellite satellites extorting the world's corporations. I also am uncomfortable with the authors' tendency to suggest responses that rely on military power and centralized government authority, such as their assertion that the framework-based security used in the cyber realm would never work for defending against space pirates. In fact, it seems likely that, for the foreseeable future, space piracy will be an outgrowth of cybersecurity.

[Diki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished Space Piracy: Preparing for a Criminal Crisis in Orbit. 🚀 It’s a sharp reminder that as space becomes the next economic frontier, crime will inevitably follow. The book draws striking parallels with the age of maritime piracy and warns that without new laws, cooperation, and security, orbit could turn into the “wild west.”

Building rockets is only half the challenge—building rules to keep them safe may be even harder.