Blockchain-based delivery command system for satellites

Abstract: As the commercialization of space continues on a global scale, it is increasingly common to see companies, as well as space agencies, become more and more interested in developing constellations of satellites, mainly for telecommunication and remote sensing missions. While there are multiple issues that arise when operating constellations of medium to large scales, one of the most challenging issue is the distribution of commands and control among satellites. The present thesis introduces a system that solves this issue through blockchain technology which provides multiple advantages. There are not many studies that have addressed the potential uses of blockchain in the space industry. The rest of this thesis illustrates the  benefits of using blockchains in a number of scenarios and does not address the usage of this technology in the financial industry. This thesis considers a number of scenarios corresponding to different operational modes of a constellation of satellites. Towards the end of the thesis, a recommended architecture and settings will be proposed for a real-world use case of a blockchain-based network for the command and control of a constellation of satellites.