Avalanche is expanding its capabilities beyond the financial sector and into the realm of space exploration, with the introduction of a novel network designed to verify telescope data in real-time. SkyMapper's innovative network, built on Avalanche's technology, cryptographically records observations from telescopes worldwide, converting each data point into a secure and verifiable digital record. This network, known as SkyMapper L1, aggregates data from a diverse range of telescopes and sensors globally, generating a secure digital record for each observation.
The company refers to this process as 'Proof of Space Observation' (POSO), which essentially proves the authenticity of a celestial event, including the time of occurrence and the integrity of the data. These verified records can be utilized by scientists, businesses, and government agencies requiring reliable space data.
The SETI Institute, renowned for its search for extraterrestrial intelligence, is contributing real-time observational data, marking a significant milestone in the integration of institutional science into a blockchain-based verification system. SkyMapper's solution addresses the growing challenge of verifying the vast amounts of data generated by satellites, drones, and space missions, which can be susceptible to alteration or misattribution. By leveraging blockchain technology, SkyMapper creates a permanent, tamper-resistant record of each observation, enabling independent verification by anyone. The system functions by validating observations at the moment of capture.
When a network telescope records an event, such as a satellite pass or deep-space signal, the data is immediately cryptographically signed, creating a unique device-tied fingerprint. The observation is then time-stamped and transmitted through SkyMapper's infrastructure. Instead of storing all data in a central database, SkyMapper distributes it across a decentralized storage network while saving a digital fingerprint of the data on the Avalanche blockchain. This fingerprint allows anyone to verify the authenticity and integrity of the data at a later time.
The network utilizes smart contracts to validate incoming data, organize it, and control access to it. Certain information, such as sensitive government or defense data, can be kept private, while other data, like scientific research, can be shared openly. The outcome is a system where each observation can be independently verified, enabling users to confirm the recording time and location, verify the data's integrity, and trace it back to its source. According to Emin Gün Sirer, founder and CEO of Ava Labs, 'We're building blockchain infrastructure for real-world impact.
SkyMapper's work in anchoring observatory data on Avalanche demonstrates how this technology can transform science, providing tamper-proof, verifiable telescope records.'