Implementing and Testing a Novel Chaotic Cryptosystem

Cryptography in the domain of small satellites is a relatively new area of research. Compared to typical desktop computers, small satellites have limited bandwidth, processing power, and battery power. Many of the current encryption schemes were developed for desktop computers and servers, and as such may be unsuitable for small satellites. In addition, most cryptographic research in the domain of small satellites focuses on hardware solutions, which can be problematic given the limited space requirements of small satellites. This paper investigates potential software solutions that could be used to encrypt and decrypt data on small satellites and other devices with similarly limited resources. Specifically, this paper presents an implementation of an encryption algorithm based on chaos theory and compares and contrasts it with existing cryptographic schemes used in desktop computing and lightweight applications.