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METEORSTORM Element Taxonomy and Ontology · Layer 1 to Layer 4

Structural decomposition reference for the four-layer platform model

The four structural layers describe what the platform is. They are walked top-down (PCE to SEG to SVC to AST) so every smaller part names a parent and every analytic finding (Layer 5) attaches back to a real structural anchor. This reference covers Layers 1 through 4, the element enumeration process, and the annotation criteria every enumerated element must carry.

How to use this document

Decomposition worksheet. Apply the process below to your own platform; the output is the structural model that the threat-modeling function layers threats onto.
Architecture appendix. Attach to your system-design document so the architecture and the threat model share one vocabulary.
Asset inventory mapping. Use the annotation criteria as the column set for any new asset inventory; existing inventories can be re-labeled to the framework directly.
Analyst training. Use as the onboarding reference for the structural side of the framework, paired with the Layer 1 to Layer 5 data-model reference for the analytic side.

Decomposition process · PCE to SEG to SVC to AST

Walk the platform from the broadest layer down to the individual assets. Each step names the elements at that layer and links them to the layer above.

Step 01 · PCEEnumerate the environmentsIdentify every Primary Capability Environment your platform operates in: terrestrial, aquatic, aerial, orbital, deep space.

Step 02 · SEGEnumerate the segmentsWithin each environment, identify the operational segments: launch, link, ground, user, aquatic, low / high / near altitude, space, deep space.

Step 03 · SVCEnumerate the servicesWithin each segment, identify the services it delivers: control plane, data plane, hybrid. Mark services that span more than one segment as DISTRIBUTED.

Step 04 · ASTEnumerate the assetsWithin each service, identify the assets that implement it: hardware, firmware, software, data, signal, hybrid. Group assets with the optional SUBSYSTEM label.

You can start from existing artifacts. Architecture diagrams, system-design documents, mission CONOPS, asset inventories, configuration management databases (CMDB), all of these can be re-labeled with the framework taxonomy rather than rebuilt from a blank page. The decomposition process below tells you what to look for in those artifacts and how to name what you find.

Element identifier format

LAYER : TAG : LABEL : ORDINAL

All four fields are required, including the LABEL, written in full and exactly as published. Ordinals are scoped to the (LAYER, TAG) pair, so SEG : SP : Space : 00 and SEG : GR : Ground : 00 are not a collision: the tag codes differ.

Element enumeration process · annotation criteria

Every enumerated element carries the same set of annotation fields. Required fields are mandatory; layer-specific fields apply only at the layer noted; optional fields are recommended where they add clarity.

Field	Required?	Applies to	What to capture
LAYER	Required	All	One of `PCE`, `SEG`, `SVC`, `AST`.
TAG	Required	All	The published tag code within the layer (for example `OR`, `SP`, `CP`, `HW`). Use the tables below as the source of truth.
LABEL	Required	All	The published human-readable label, written in full (for example `Orbital`, `Space`, `Control Plane`, `Hardware`). Do not abbreviate or paraphrase.
ORDINAL	Required	All	Numeric instance counter starting at `00`, scoped to the (LAYER, TAG) pair. New instances take the next ordinal; ordinals are never re-used.
DESCRIPTION	Required	All	One concise sentence describing this specific instance on your platform. Mission CONOPS language is fine; sales copy is not.
SOURCE / ARTIFACT	Required	All	The artifact this element was derived from: architecture diagram name and revision, system-design document section, asset inventory row id, CMDB record id. Without a source, the element is not traceable and must not be enumerated.
PARENT	Required	SEG, SVC, AST	The fully-qualified enumerated identifier of the parent element one layer above. Every SEG names its PCE, every SVC names its SEG, every AST names its SVC. No orphans.
DISTRIBUTED	Optional	SVC	Boolean, recorded as `T` (true) or `F` (false). Set to `T` when the service spans more than one segment (for example, a control plane that crosses ground and space via the link segment).
SUBSYSTEM	Optional	AST	Free-text grouping label that ties multiple assets together logically (for example `bus`, `payload`, `ground-ops-room`). Helps with rollups when the count of assets grows.

L1Primary Capability Environment (PCE)

Five environments. Where the platform operates. PCE elements have no parent; they are the top of the tree.

Code	Label	Description	Parent
PCE-TE	Terrestrial	Land-based operating environment.	(top)
PCE-AQ	Aquatic	Surface or sub-surface water environment.	(top)
PCE-AE	Aerial	Atmospheric environment, low altitude through near space.	(top)
PCE-OR	Orbital	In-orbit environment within the gravitational regime of the parent body.	(top)
PCE-DS	Deep Space	Beyond the gravitational regime of the parent body.	(top)

L2Segment (SEG)

Ten segments. Operational role within an environment. Every SEG names its PCE parent.

Code	Label	Description	Parent
SEG-LA	Launch	Launch operations, ending at vehicle separation.	PCE-TE
SEG-LI	Link	Communication path between segments. Signal asset is enumerated at L4.	PCE-TE / OR
SEG-GR	Ground	Ground stations, mission ops centres, control facilities.	PCE-TE
SEG-US	User	End-user equipment, terminals, identities.	PCE-TE
SEG-AQ	Aquatic	Maritime operations segment.	PCE-AQ
SEG-LO	Low Altitude	Low-altitude aerial operations.	PCE-AE
SEG-HI	High Altitude	High-altitude aerial operations.	PCE-AE
SEG-NE	Near Space	Near-space, between high altitude and orbital.	PCE-AE
SEG-SP	Space	On-orbit space segment, the operational constellation.	PCE-OR
SEG-DE	Deep Space	Deep-space mission segment.	PCE-DS

L3Service (SVC)

Three services. Capability the segment delivers. Every SVC names its SEG parent. Mark a service DISTRIBUTED when it spans more than one segment.

Code	Label	Description	Parent
SVC-CP	Control Plane	Command, control, configuration, and management of the platform.	SEG-*
SVC-DP	Data Plane	Mission product, payload data, and the data flows it produces.	SEG-*
SVC-HY	Hybrid	Service that spans both control and data plane responsibilities.	SEG-*

L4Asset (AST)

Six asset classes. Concrete elements that implement a service. Every AST names its SVC parent and may carry an optional SUBSYSTEM grouping.

Code	Label	Description	Parent
AST-HW	Hardware	Physical components, boards, buses, mechanical assemblies.	SVC-*
AST-FW	Firmware	Code burned to non-volatile memory; operates close to hardware.	SVC-*
AST-SW	Software	Operating systems, runtimes, applications, flight-software images.	SVC-*
AST-DA	Data	Mission data, telemetry, configuration, credentials.	SVC-*
AST-SI	Signal	RF or EM signal as an enumerated asset, distinct from the link segment that carries it.	SVC-*
AST-HY	Hybrid	Asset that spans more than one of the five primary asset classes.	SVC-*

Worked example · Kestrel Orbital command path

One coherent decomposition across the four structural layers, following the telecommand command path the analytic worked examples build on (Functions 02 to 05). Only the identifier, parent, and description are shown; every element also carries its full annotation set. The complete 51-element Day-1 CONOPS enumeration is in the ETEN reference.

L1 PCE

Identifier	Parent	Description
PCE : OR : Orbital : 00	(top)	Low Earth orbit regime the constellation flies in.
PCE : TE : Terrestrial : 00	(top)	Inland continental land site of the primary mission-operations complex.

L2 SEG

Identifier	Parent	Description
SEG : SP : Space : 00	PCE : OR : Orbital : 00	Platform and payload subsystems on orbit.
SEG : LI : Link : 00	PCE : OR : Orbital : 00 + PCE : TE : Terrestrial : 00	RF and optical link between space and ground.
SEG : GR : Ground : 00	PCE : TE : Terrestrial : 00	Mission operations, control, and launch-time ground assets.

L3 SVC

Identifier	Parent	Description
SVC : CP : Control Plane : 05	SEG : LI : Link : 00	ACA (Link): authenticates command sources on the uplink.
SVC : HY : Hybrid : 00	SEG : SP : Space : 00	C&DH: executes commands and moves data across the vehicle.
SVC : CP : Control Plane : 01	SEG : SP : Space : 00	Crypto (Space): on-board encryption and telecommand authentication.

L4 AST

Identifier	Parent	Description
AST : SI : Signal : 00	SVC : CP : Control Plane : 05	Telecommand uplink waveform carrying commands from ground to spacecraft.
AST : HW : Hardware : 06	SVC : HY : Hybrid : 00	On-board computer and OBDH bus.
AST : SW : Software : 06	SVC : HY : Hybrid : 00	C&DH flight software that executes commands and runs FDIR.

Validation rules. Before declaring the decomposition complete: every PCE has at least one SEG; every SEG names a real PCE; every SVC names a real SEG; every AST names a real SVC; every element has all required annotation fields, including a SOURCE that someone else can open and verify. No orphans, no missing labels, no unsourced entries.