AI-Enhanced Blockchain Security in Space-Based IoT Communications

Space-based Internet of Things (IoT) systems are expanding rapidly. Satellites now connect remote sensors, ships, aircraft, and rural communities. These systems enable global communication, precision agriculture, logistics tracking, and defense applications. Yet their cybersecurity risks are growing. Attacks on satellite communication networks could disrupt military operations, energy systems, and financial transactions. Traditional centralized security cannot address the complexity of space IoT. This paper explores how blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) enhance cybersecurity in satellite-based IoT. Blockchain provides decentralized authentication, tamper-proof logs, and trust across distributed systems. AI enables anomaly detection, predictive defense, and adaptive threat response. Methodology draws on case studies, blockchain testing in satellite networks, AI anomaly detection models, and integration simulations. The findings show that blockchain-AI frameworks can improve resilience, though challenges of latency, cost, and governance remain. By 2035, blockchain-AI integration will be essential for secure spacebased IoT communications.