Benchmark classical and post-quantum cryptographic algorithms in the space radiation environment. Monitor memory bit-flip rates across multiple memory technologies and broadcast signed random numbers as a space randomness beacon.
Benchmark classical and post-quantum cryptographic algorithms in the space radiation environment. Monitor memory bit-flip rates across multiple memory technologies and broadcast signed random numbers as a space randomness beacon.
This is a intermediate-level project with an estimated timeline of 10-14 months using a 0.5U form factor.
Quantum computers threaten to break the cryptographic algorithms that currently secure satellite communications, financial transactions, and national security systems. The global response is a migration to post-quantum cryptography new algorithms designed to resist quantum attacks. But these algorithms have never been tested in the space radiation environment, where high-energy particles can flip bits in memory, corrupt computations, and cause processors to lock up. This payload benchmarks both classical and post-quantum cryptographic operations on orbit, measuring how execution time, power consumption, and error rates are affected by radiation. It also monitors multiple types of commercial memory chips for radiation-induced bit flips, producing comparative reliability data across technologies. As a bonus, the payload broadcasts cryptographically signed random numbers generated by a hardware random number generator creating a verifiable space-based randomness beacon. The entire experiment fits on a single small circuit board and requires remarkably little power, making it one of the most novel yet accessible payloads in the catalog. True quantum key distribution requires expensive precision optics and is infeasible at this scale, but classical post-quantum cryptography benchmarking is straightforward and fills a genuine gap in the published literature.
Core: Microchip ATECC608B crypto co-processor (~$7 on SparkFun Qwiic breakout, I2C address 0x60) providing hardware AES-128, SHA-256, ECDH, ECDSA, and FIPS 800-90 TRNG at 2-5.5V. Pair with ESP32-S3 running reference implementations of NIST PQC algorithms (Kyber key encapsulation, Dilithium digital signatures standards finalized 2024). Add 4 memory types (SRAM, FRAM, MRAM, Flash) pre-loaded with known data patterns to monitor SEU rates. Experiment benchmarks execution time and power consumption of PQC operations in radiation environment. Broadcasts signed random numbers as space randomness beacon. Note: amateur radio regs prohibit encrypted transmissions crypto operations internal only, results downlinked as unencrypted telemetry.
QKD is completely infeasible at 0.5U (NUS SpooQy-1 needed 1.5U of precision optics over 7 years by PhD researchers). However, PQC benchmarking is trivially easy and genuinely novel. SpooQy-1 team demonstrated PQC key exchange (Kyber/Dilithium) over UHF after primary QKD mission proving concept relevance. SpaceChain launched 7+ blockchain nodes including Ethereum validator (2021), validating commercial interest. Cryptosat concept for space-based randomness beacons has growing traction. ATECC608B provides hardware crypto acceleration at negligible power/volume. Total cost: $100-$500. Complexity: low the $7 Qwiic breakout takes 30 minutes to wire up. Tier 1 recommendation surprisingly simple, genuinely novel. Deserves consideration as secondary experiment on any primary payload.
This project spans 2 disciplines, making it suitable for interdisciplinary student teams.
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