The network
No central server
Nodes find each other over the public IPFS network and exchange data directly. A node behind a firewall still works, and the network routes around failures.
Proven foundations
Battle-tested building blocks for mission-critical space data.
Built on IPFS
libp2p networking with DHT discovery, GossipSub messaging and circuit relay for browser connectivity. Content addressing guarantees data integrity.
Google FlatBuffers
Zero-copy serialization for 160+ Space Data Standards schemas. FlatSQL runs SQL directly over the binary data, with no conversion step.
Cross-platform
Run full nodes on servers, edge relays on embedded devices, or connect directly from a web browser.
Network architecture
Two tiers of peers for maximum reach and reliability.
Full nodes
Run on the open internet with public addresses. They route the DHT, relay traffic for firewalled peers and store pinned content: the backbone of the network.
Light peers
Browsers, phones, desktops and corporate networks behind NAT connect through relays. They subscribe, decrypt and verify signatures, but do not route.
Run a full node: a node with a public IP relays and serves the DHT by default. Install it on a server and open 4001 TCP/UDP; more full nodes make the network more reliable.
How digitally signed data moves
Latest products are announced, verified, then fetched by peer identity.
- IngestA provider node pulls source updates and materializes the current record set.
- Digitally signA digitally signed data product manifest (DPM) binds the content IDs, source hashes, schema and provider signature.
- AnnounceA compact digitally signed notification (PNM) announces the latest manifest for that provider and standard.
- Verify and fetchClients verify both signatures, fetch the listed assets by content ID, then import or pin them.
- Load modulesAnalysis modules such as SGP4 are discovered as digitally signed listings and delivered by grant.
Why space traffic management matters
The orbital environment is becoming dangerously congested.
On 10 February 2009, Iridium 33, an active U.S. communications satellite, collided with the defunct Russian Cosmos 2251 at 11.7 km/s, 790 km above northern Siberia. Neither operator had warning. With shared data, a simple maneuver could have avoided it.
Who benefits from open infrastructure
Space agencies
Share conjunction warnings and tracking data globally and coordinate avoidance across borders without diplomatic overhead.
Satellite operators
Publish elements in real time, coordinate maneuvers with other operators, and receive warnings directly from the network.
STM providers
Build commercial services on open, verifiable data without vendor lock-in or exclusive data agreements.
Researchers
Use live space data for analysis and algorithm development without expensive commercial licenses.
Academia
Bring real-time space data into curricula, theses and collaborative research.
Students and hobbyists
Learn astrodynamics on production data, build trackers, and contribute to open space-safety tools.
Questions
Is SDN a blockchain?
No. SDN uses cryptographic keys and signatures, but there are no tokens, no mining and no consensus mechanism. Identities can be derived from BIP-39 seed phrases and are compatible with blockchain ecosystems, but SDN itself is plain infrastructure for data exchange.
Why decentralized for space data?
Space traffic data is too critical to depend on one provider. Centralized systems create single points of failure and geopolitical dependencies. SDN keeps warnings and orbital data available when individual nodes or organizations go offline, and routes around failures.
How does it compare to existing providers?
SDN is complementary infrastructure that lets organizations share data directly. It can ingest and redistribute catalogs such as Space-Track, CelesTrak, ESA DISCOS, EU SST, JSC Vimpel, JAXA SSA and ISRO NETRA alongside commercial providers, adding real-time operator data and cryptographic provenance, with no single point of failure and no usage quotas.
Can browsers connect?
Yes. Edge relays bridge WebSocket connections into the peer-to-peer network, and the JavaScript SDK handles it automatically. Browsers can subscribe to real-time data, publish and verify signatures.
Can data be removed from the network?
There is no central authority that can remove data. Content is replicated and addressed by its hash; only the author holding the signing key can issue updates or retractions. Nodes can stop serving content, but other copies remain, so consider carefully what you publish.