Spacechain Launches Blockchain Into Space

By RTTNews Staff Writer | Published: 12/9/2019 9:38 AM ET

Blockchain startup Spacechain announced that its blockchain hardware wallet technology is on its way to the International Space Station (ISS), aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the CRS-19 commercial resupply service mission.

The bitcoin wallet is reportedly orbiting the earth at 5 miles per second.

SpaceChain expects the testing of the hardware wallet to be completed by early 2020.

As part of its vision of an open-source blockchain-based satellite network, this is the third blockchain payload launched into space by SpaceChain in the past two years. It is the first launch of blockchain from the U.S.

Earlier, the startup had successfully tested its second blockchain node in space in January, which was launched into orbit in October 2018 by a CZ-4B Y34 rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre, Xinzhou, China.

The first blockchain node that SpaceChain launched into orbit was in February 2018, again from China, that was equipped with a Raspberry Pi hardware board and blockchain software.

Founded in 2017, SpaceChain is a community-based space platform that combines space and blockchain technologies to build the world's first open-source blockchain-based satellite network, allowing users to develop and run applications in space by adopting space-as-a-service.

SpaceChain's open-source operating system (SpaceChain OS) provides the main blockchain application sandbox for developers to utilize for rapid and secure development, testing and deployment of space-based applications.

It will be the first blockchain hardware installed on the ISS, to be installed on Nanoracks' commercial platform on Station.

Once activated, the payload will demonstrate the receipt, authorization, and retransmission of blockchain transactions, creating "multisig" transactions which require multiple signatures or approvals to complete, increasing the security of the operation.

All data will be both uplinked and downlinked directly through Nanoracks' commercial platform.

Earlier this year, SpaceChain was awarded a 60,000 euro grant by the European Space Agency (ESA) under its Kick-start Activity program, to further develop and identify commercial use-cases for its satellite blockchain technology.

Blockchain is the next major disruptor in space. SpaceChain addresses security vulnerabilities for financial systems and digital assets in the growing digital economy.

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Article written by an RTT News Staff Writer, and posted on the RTT News.com website.

Article reposted on Markethive by Jeffrey Sloe

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