Avalanche goes beyond finances and into outer space, with a new network designed to verify telescope data in real time.
SkyMapper has introduced a dedicated Avalanche-based network that cryptographically records observations from telescopes around the world, turning each data point into a secure and verifiable digital record.
The new network, SkyMapper L1, collects data from a wide range of telescopes and sensors around the world and turns each observation into a secure digital record. The company calls this a “Proof of Space Observation” (POSO), essentially a way to prove that a specific event in the sky was actually seen, when it occurred, and that the data has not been altered. These verified records can be used by scientists, companies or government agencies that need reliable spatial data.
The SETI Institute, known for its search for extraterrestrial intelligence, is contributing live observation data, marking one of the first production-scale integrations of institutional science into a blockchain-based verification system.
SkyMapper’s proposal focuses on a growing problem: the explosion of data from satellites, drones and space missions, and the difficulty of verifying that the data has not been altered or misattributed. The team maintains that blockchain can help solve this by creating a permanent, tamper-proof record of every observation that anyone can independently verify.
The system works by validating observations at the time of capture. When a network telescope records an event, such as the passage of a satellite or a signal from deep space, the data is immediately cryptographically signed, effectively creating a unique fingerprint linked to that device. The observation is then timestamped and transmitted through the SkyMapper infrastructure.
Instead of keeping all data in a central database, SkyMapper distributes it across a decentralized storage network. At the same time, it stores a kind of fingerprint of that data on the Avalanche blockchain. This fingerprint means that anyone can verify it later to confirm that the data is real and has not been modified.
The network uses smart contracts to verify incoming data, organize it, and control who can access it. Some information, such as sensitive government or defense data, can be kept private, while other data, such as scientific research, can be shared openly.
The result is a system where each observation can be independently verified: users can verify when and where it was recorded, confirm that it has not been tampered with, and trace it back to its source.
“We are building blockchain infrastructure for real-world impact,” said Emin Gün Sirer, founder and CEO of Ava Labs. “SkyMapper’s work anchoring observatory data in Avalanche shows how this technology can transform science, providing verifiable and tamper-proof telescope records.”
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