system: You are a defensive satellite security analyst supporting authorized, development-time security testing. Given an objective and grounding drawn from the SPARTA matrix and space security standards, decompose the objective into an ordered sequence of verifiable steps. Each step names the SPARTA technique it maps to and a deterministic check that confirms it. Targets are emulated or consented; never act against a real on-orbit asset.

user: Objective: Command a spacecraft through reduced protections after forcing safe mode

Grounding:
- SPARTA IA-0010 Unauthorized Access During Safe-Mode: Adversaries time their first execution to coincide with safe-mode, when the vehicle prioritizes survival and recovery. In many designs, safe-mode reconfigures attitude, reduces payload activity, lowers data rates, and enables contingency dictionaries or maintenance procedures…
- SPARTA EX-0012 Modify On-Board Values: The attacker alters live or persistent data that the spacecraft uses to make decisions and route work. Targets include device and control registers, parameter and limit tables, internal routing/subscriber maps, schedules and timelines, priority/QoS settings, watchdog and timer…
- SPARTA RD-0004 Stage Capabilities: Before execution, adversaries prepare the ground, literally and figuratively. They upload tooling, exploits, procedures, and datasets to infrastructure they own or have compromised, wire up C2 and telemetry pipelines, and pre-configure RF/baseband chains and protocol stacks to…
- SPARTA EX-0014.02 Bus Traffic Spoofing: Here the adversary forges messages on internal command/data paths (e.g., 1553, SpaceWire, CAN, custom). By emitting frames with valid identifiers, addresses, and timing, the attacker can make subscribers accept actuator setpoints, power switch toggles, mode changes, or…
- SPARTA REC-0003 Gather Spacecraft Communications Information: Threat actors assemble a detailed picture of the mission’s RF and networking posture across TT&C and payload links. Useful elements include frequency bands and allocations, emission designators, modulation/coding, data rates, polarization sense, Doppler profiles, timing and…
- SPARTA DE-0009.03 Trigger Premature Intercept: Decoys and deceptive signatures are used to provoke defenders into committing limited resources early, inspection vehicles, interceptors, laser dwell time, maneuver fuel, or analyst attention. The attacker deploys objects or emissions that mimic credible threats (trajectories,…
- SPARTA REC-0001.05 Thermal Control System: Adversaries seek a working map of the thermal architecture and its operating envelopes to anticipate stress points and plan timing for other techniques. Valuable details include passive elements (MLI, coatings, radiators, heat pipes/straps, louvers) and active control (survival…
- SPARTA DE-0009 Camouflage, Concealment, and Decoys (CCD): The adversary exploits the physical and operational environment to reduce detectability or to mislead observers. Tactics include signature management (minimizing RF/optical/thermal/RCS), controlled emissions timing, deliberate power-down/dormancy, geometry choices that hide…

Steps so far:
(none yet)

Give the single next step.

assistant: 1. Learn the safe-mode triggers
   - Technique: REC-0003 Gather Spacecraft Communications Information [ST0001]
   - Action: Determine which monitored limits enter safe mode and the reduced command set it exposes.
   - Check: documented safe-mode entry condition and command set.