Communication protocol for a satellite-swarm interferometer for low-frequency radio astronomy

Orbiting low frequency antennas for radio astronomy (OLFAR) that capture cosmic signals in the frequency range below 80 MHz could provide valuable insights on our Universe. These wireless swarms of satellites form a connectivity graph that allows data exchange between most pairs of satellites. Since this swarm acts as an interferometer, the aim is to compute the cross-correlations between most pairs of satellites. We propose a k -nearest-neighbour communication protocol, and investigate the minimum neighbourhood size of each satellite that ensures connectivity of at least 95% of the swarm. We describe the proportion of cross-correlations that can be computed in our method given an energy budget per satellite. Despite the method’s apparent simplicity, it allows us to gain insight into the requirements for such satellite swarms. In particular, we give specific advice on the energy requirements to have sufficient coverage of the relevant baselines. • Demonstrates scalable k-NN coordination for autonomous satellite swarms. • Achieves lower latency and communication load in distributed control. • Enhances formation stability through local, data-driven decision making. • Enables intelligent autonomy in next-generation multi-satellite systems. • Supports future swarm missions for space exploration and radio astronomy.