Solana researchers have introduced a new protocol design aimed at reducing validator control over transaction ordering. It targets one of the most persistent issues in blockchain markets: Maximal Extractable Value [MEV].
In a newly released whitepaper, the team outlines “Constellation,” a multiple concurrent proposers [MCP] system designed to prevent validators from manipulating transaction inclusion and sequencing.
The proposal shifts away from single-leader block production, which currently allows validators to reorder or censor transactions for profit.
Instead, Constellation distributes transaction submissions across multiple proposers while introducing a new class of nodes, called attesters, to enforce fairness in how transactions are processed.
How Constellation changes transaction ordering on Solana
Under the proposed model, multiple proposers submit transaction batches simultaneously, rather than relying on a single leader with temporary control over the mempool.
Attesters then verify and timestamp these submissions before they are assembled into blocks.
This structure limits the ability of any single validator to delay, reorder, or front-run transactions. The leader role still exists but is constrained by proposer inputs and attestations, reducing discretionary control over block composition.
The system also introduces fixed “economic ticks” of around 50 milliseconds, creating predictable intervals for transaction inclusion.
Why the design targets MEV rather than redistributing it
Most existing approaches, including proposer-builder separation, focus on redistributing MEV rather than eliminating it. Constellation takes a different approach by attempting to remove the conditions that allow MEV extraction in the first place.
The whitepaper describes this as “selective censorship resistance,” in which valid, competitively priced transactions must be included within a defined time window, limiting opportunities for manipulation.
This design aims to ensure that protocol rules rather than validator incentives determine transaction latency and ordering.
Can Solana enforce fairness at scale?
The proposal reflects a broader push to align blockchain infrastructure with traditional financial market standards, where fairness and predictable execution are critical.
However, the system introduces additional complexity, including reliance on synchronized clocks and new coordination layers between proposers, attesters, and validators.
Its effectiveness will depend on whether these assumptions hold under real-world network conditions.
If implemented successfully, Constellation could shift Solana’s positioning from a high-speed blockchain to a platform designed for fair and efficient financial markets.
Final Summary
- Solana’s Constellation proposal targets MEV by limiting validator control over transaction ordering.
- The design introduces multi-proposer coordination and enforced timing to improve fairness at the protocol level.
Source: https://ambcrypto.com/solana-proposes-constellation-upgrade-to-curb-mev-and-enforce-fair-transaction-ordering/
