SpaceChain Foundation announced on 19 May 2020 it has contracted and invested in Core Semiconductor, an innovator in provably secure computing platforms for all connected devices, to produce the world’s first open-source hardware platform capable of providing a downlink to mobile phones and small devices directly from satellites in orbit, without the use of a satellite dish on Earth or a third-party network.
With security inherently built-in, the technology is designed with the blockchain industry in mind and to bring blockchain applications to a global user base.
Core Semiconductor has designed the platform to be small enough to fit inside any handheld device. With a commodity price point, the platform is affordable and is easy to deploy, making it perfect for any company or hobbyist to incorporate. The technology is designed for low bitrate applications of around 1250 bytes per minute, making it ideal for verifying blockchain hashes and encrypted signatures.
“GPS is a low datarate protocol that has transformed the way we navigate the world and created over US$400 billion in equity value,” said Jeff Garzik, SpaceChain Foundation co-founder and CTO. “We want to do the same for emerging digital economies. Adding secure direct downlink and location capability to devices on a robust multi-layer global decentralised infrastructure will bring blockchain to mass adoption.”
As the hardware platform is open-source, anyone can verify the security and correctness of the design themselves, directly on GitHub. The public is encouraged to check out the code and test it out at github.com/coresemi and github.com/coresemi/gnss-baseband.
“We look forward to our long-term partnership with SpaceChain as we collectively uncover new possibilities and opportunities with next-generation open-source innovations,” said Jeff Dionne, CEO, Core Semiconductor. “This milestone underscores how we can unlock the benefits of the New Space Economy.”
SpaceChain Foundation believes in the future of open-source blockchain hardware and is an investor in Core Semiconductor. This partnership allows for accessibility and unencumbered collaborations, and marks the beginning of a number of planned components to support decentralised space hardware and the New Space Economy.
