Avalanche is moving beyond finance 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, 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 particular event in the sky was actually seen when it happened and that the data hasn’t been altered. These verified records can then be used by scientists, companies or government agencies that need reliable space data.
The SETI Institute, known for its search for extraterrestrial intelligence, is contributing live observational data, marking one of the first production-scale integrations of institutional science into a blockchain-based verification system.
SkyMapper’s pitch centers on a growing problem: the explosion of data from satellites, drones and space missions, and the difficulty of verifying that data has not been altered or misattributed. The team claims that blockchain can help solve this by creating a permanent, tamper-proof record of each observation that anyone can independently verify.
The system works by validating observations the moment they are captured. When a telescope in the network records an event – such as a satellite pass or deep-space signal – the data is immediately cryptographically signed, effectively creating a unique fingerprint associated with that device. The observation is then time-stamped and transmitted through SkyMapper’s infrastructure.
Instead of storing all data in one central database, SkyMapper spreads it over a decentralized storage network. At the same time, it stores a kind of digital fingerprint of that data on the Avalanche blockchain. This fingerprint means that anyone can later check it to confirm that the data is genuine and has not been altered.
The network uses smart contracts to check 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 check 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 on Avalanche shows how this technology can transform science by providing tamper-proof, verifiable telescope records.”
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