Bitcoins in space!

[rarkenin]

Is the satellite designed on open hardware? Will the design and other specifics of that sort be public?

[jgarzik]

Is the satellite designed on open hardware? Will the design and other specifics of that sort be public?

As much as possible will be open source and open hardware.

However, sometimes you have to choose between space-ready hardware for $, or developing your own open hardware for $$$$ + time.

[TiagoTiago]

Here's a crazy proposal: What if the sats were programmed to start mining if they don't see new blocks for too long; making it so that even if no one on the surface of Earth is mining, the network will continue on time?

[rarkenin]

If the ground station were to go down then a blockchain split could occur. Multiple ground stations and an open design for same would be beneficial.

[jgarzik]

If the ground station were to go down then a blockchain split could occur. Multiple ground stations and an open design for same would be beneficial.

Multiple ground stations are pretty much a given.  It is likely we will interact with a larger number of third party ground stations, rather than only run a few ground stations 100% ourselves.

A ground station can be pretty cheap.  A ground station can be as simple as a small satellite dish on top of a building, plus a controlling computer.

Frequency selection will be one of the biggest decisions.  That will trickle down to the ground stations (transmitters), users (receivers), governmental approvals, and other areas.

[jgarzik]

Here's a crazy proposal: What if the sats were programmed to start mining if they don't see new blocks for too long; making it so that even if no one on the surface of Earth is mining, the network will continue on time?

That is a really fun idea, but it would require a lot of power in a low-power situation.

Let's hope the price of plutonium power sources comes down.  Otherwise, solar power is most likely.

[TiagoTiago]

Here's a crazy proposal: What if the sats were programmed to start mining if they don't see new blocks for too long; making it so that even if no one on the surface of Earth is mining, the network will continue on time?

That is a really fun idea, but it would require a lot of power in a low-power situation.

Let's hope the price of plutonium power sources comes down.  Otherwise, solar power is most likely.

If there is no one to compete with the satellites, the difficulty would get adjusted to fit their processing power after a few space-born blocks.

[LiteCoinGuy]

new and "cheap" rockets for sattelites (from the teslar founder)

http://www.spacex.com/falcon9

[jgarzik]

new and "cheap" rockets for sattelites (from the teslar founder)

http://www.spacex.com/falcon9

Yep.  The general idea is that you group your own cubesat together with dozens of others, on the same flight, sharing costs.  SpaceX helps push those costs down even lower.

[TheButterZone]

stqism in #bitcoin-otc has been talking about working on a satellite...

[jgarzik]

CoinDesk covers: http://www.coindesk.com/core-developer-bitcoin-node-space/

[wumpus]

Extremely cool project, I'll certainly be watching this.

[LiteCoinGuy]

found a photo of jeff in 10 years  :

[Peter R]

Jeff: I love this idea and I'd like to contribute.  Would you consider a Kickstarter-like model and declare a fundraising goal and deadline, and if we don't make the goal then the donations are returned?  I'd like to make more than a token pledge, but I don't want the money just sitting around if this project doesn't find its legs.

[Mylon]

Jeff, awesome idea!! It's bald, near impossible but with Bitcoin the sky is the limit. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help!

[TiagoTiago]

Jeff, awesome idea!! It's bald, near impossible but with Bitcoin the sky is the limit. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help!

Well, if we are going to space, the sky isn't the limit anymore

[Mylon]

Jeff, awesome idea!! It's bald, near impossible but with Bitcoin the sky is the limit. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help!

Well, if we are going to space, the sky isn't the limit anymore

Yea at the moment its the moon, or the solar-system if you want

[jgarzik]

Jeff: I love this idea and I'd like to contribute.  Would you consider a Kickstarter-like model and declare a fundraising goal and deadline, and if we don't make the goal then the donations are returned?  I'd like to make more than a token pledge, but I don't want the money just sitting around if this project doesn't find its legs.

Same answer as with the investment question early in this thread.  KickStarter is too much work at this stage.  KickStarter also potentially introduces problems with setting expectations.  Phase 1 -- the boring design work -- does not cost very much, and would not be worth a KickStarter.  KickStarter for Phase 2 -- building and launching space hardware -- is very exciting, but it is premature to KickStart that right now, in my opinion.

Phase 1 is all about designing a usable foundation.  If you can afford it, donate 1-10 BTC, and email me so that I may credit your sponsorship.

The current team will be kept small, under 4 engineers or so.

Layers of management, investors, incorporations, and KickStarters are just not necessary this early, and would simply slow down the process.

[drawingthesun]

Erm guys, you are talking about a rocket trip being commissioned and bought with Bitcoins.

Do you realize how insanely awesome super awesome amazing that would be????

:)

Satoshi, get those bitcoins out of cold storage! Now!

[Peter R]

Jeff: I love this idea and I'd like to contribute.  Would you consider a Kickstarter-like model and declare a fundraising goal and deadline, and if we don't make the goal then the donations are returned?  I'd like to make more than a token pledge, but I don't want the money just sitting around if this project doesn't find its legs.

Same answer as with the investment question early in this thread.  KickStarter is too much work at this stage.  KickStarter also potentially introduces problems with setting expectations.  Phase 1 -- the boring design work -- does not cost very much, and would not be worth a KickStarter.  KickStarter for Phase 2 -- building and launching space hardware -- is very exciting, but it is premature to KickStart that right now, in my opinion.

Phase 1 is all about designing a usable foundation.  If you can afford it, donate 1-10 BTC, and email me so that I may credit your sponsorship.

The current team will be kept small, under 4 engineers or so.

Layers of management, investors, incorporations, and KickStarters are just not necessary this early, and would simply slow down the process.

Thanks for the reply Jeff.  I now agree with your logic.  The KickStarter format should wait for the build/launch phase.