Spacecoin’s Whitepaper: The Future of the Internet Is out of This World

Spacecoin is on a mission to decentralize the internet by creating a network of low Earth orbit satellites, paired with a blockchain that safeguards the interests of both users and providers on the platform.

Spacecoin’s Mission: TL;DR

• Problem: Centralization and limited access to the Internet remain significant barriers globally.
• Solution: A trustless, satellite-based internet infrastructure leveraging blockchain technology to connect decentralized nodes, ensuring broader access and security.
• Challenges: Scaling hardware and software, optimizing data transfer, navigating licensing hurdles, and addressing the issue of free-riders.

What Problem Is Spacecoin Solving?

The Spacecoin whitepaper maintains that the internet is highly centralized in its current state. This centralization results in issues like censorship, single points of failure, limited access for underserved rural and impoverished areas, and various forms of centralized intervention.

Spacecoin’s Proposed Solutions

Spacecoin is developing a multifaceted solution to tackle the challenges of centralization. At its core, the project proposes a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN), akin to Helium but on a much grander scale, utilizing orbiting satellites to create a truly global network.

To ensure secure and efficient communication, Spacecoin is implementing a blockchain system that facilitates data transmission between satellites and end users. This system also handles the payment of fees for data access. To maintain fairness and prevent abuse, Spacecoin uses a credit system (Creditcoin). This system allows for the reporting of users or transmitters who violate the network’s rules. Free-riders and those who exploit the system can be identified and denied service, ensuring the integrity of the network.

What Challenges Does Spacecoin Face?

As with any ambitious project, Spacecoin encounters a range of significant challenges. These include the capacity to handle a massive volume of internet requests, hardware limitations, and the complexities of aerospace engineering.

In 2025, Spacecoin plans to launch its satellites. Currently, the team is focused on ensuring that the hardware can efficiently encrypt and decrypt data packets transmitted through the satellites without overheating. To achieve this, they are utilizing Radiation Hardened Cortex-A9 dual-core ARM CPUs.

Additionally, fees will be aggregated and merged into a single transmission, significantly reducing the number of transactions per second required. Building and launching satellites introduces another layer of challenges, such as achieving the correct orbit, thermal management, and maintaining reliable communication channels.

Another hurdle is navigating the regulatory landscape. Several centralized agencies govern communications and require licenses to operate across specific frequency ranges. To address this, Spacecoin is partnering with third-party entities that already have access to these frequencies and possess SIM/eSIM certifications. The project is also exploring the use of New-Radio-Unlicensed (NR-U) 5G networks, which operate on an unlicensed spectrum, to further streamline connectivity.

Privacy Considerations

While Spacecoin aims to provide a decentralized internet with encrypted communication, it does not offer complete privacy for users. Similar to how a mobile device’s location can be triangulated using cell towers, devices connected to the Spacecoin network can also be localized.

Furthermore, the Proof-of-Location concept allows a device’s location to be shared as an asset. Third parties could leverage this information to enhance security, logistics, supply chains, and more.

Long-term Outlook

The previous sections outline Spacecoin’s short-term objectives. In the mid-term, the project envisions space-space connectivity, where satellites communicate directly with each other rather than solely relaying data back to Earth. Looking further ahead, Spacecoin’s long-term goals include the establishment of a multi-planetary internet, and extending its decentralized network beyond our planet.