Satellite and aerial communication (SAC) has been identified as a key element for bringing real-time, higher-capacity communication and wider coverage in the connection and deployment of a plethora of applications, such as smart grids, the Internet-of-Things (IoT), wireless sensor networks, space-based cloud for big data and vehicular ad hoc networks. However, SAC can be easily exposed to eavesdroppers, leading to various security issues. To address this, secure information transmission has been proposed. Additionally, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) have been considered as an alternative and effective method to improving energy efficiency in SAC.
