Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology have been disrupting multiple global industries—including finance, gaming, supply chain management, and digital identity. But what if we told you that the influence of cryptocurrencies extends far beyond Earth?
It’s true. The space industry is undergoing its own renaissance, with private companies and billionaires—such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Richard Branson—racing to explore planetary orbits like Mars and establish interplanetary settlements.
Meanwhile, blockchain technology is gaining increasing traction among space companies to enable trustless and efficient data transmission, financial transactions, and other solutions between ground stations and extraterrestrial facilities.
Indeed, while NASA has experimented with distributed ledger technology (DLT) for autonomous satellite communications, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Strategy Department is actively investigating how blockchain can help adapt the agency to “Space 4.0”—a new era of space discovery poised to deliver humanity’s most promising breakthroughs.
At the same time, numerous cryptocurrency enterprises have already launched—or are currently preparing to launch—their own space initiatives.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the most exciting projects building infrastructure around digital assets in space.
Let’s take a closer look!
1. SpaceChain
SpaceChain is one of the most active and mature cryptocurrency projects in the space industry.
Founded in 2017 by serial entrepreneur Zee Zheng and Bitcoin Core developer and Linux kernel engineer Jeff Garzik, SpaceChain aims to build an open, neutral, decentralized infrastructure for the emerging space economy.
To achieve this goal, SpaceChain seeks to eliminate barriers hindering global public access to the industry by integrating blockchain technology with decentralized core principles—thus democratizing access to space.
One of the project’s key highlights is the SpaceChain Operating System (OS). This real-time OS supports full blockchain node functionality and integrates technologies from Qtum’s public DLT network, serving as an open-source platform to accelerate space development, exploration, and settlement.
Put simply, SpaceChain OS serves as the backbone of the project’s missions, enabling hardware–application compatibility—and, as the company puts it, “allowing participants in the space sector and SpaceChain to communicate with each other to advance to the next stage.”
Since its launch in 2017, SpaceChain has made significant progress in building a decentralized space ecosystem. Key milestones include:
Launched the first Qtum-based blockchain node into space in February 2018, and began integrating Ethereum into the SpaceChain OS in May 2018.
Launched the second-generation Qtum node into space at the end of 2018.
In September 2019, SpaceChain UK received blockchain satellite technology funding from the European Space Agency (ESA).
In December 2019, the cryptocurrency project launched its third payload into space.
In December 2020, the project received funding from the EUREKA Globalstars-Singapore Call to jointly develop Decentralized Satellite Infrastructure (DSI) with other projects.
In addition to launching a publicly available programmable hardware board for developing blockchain applications deployable in space in April 2021, SpaceChain launched the world’s first commercially integrated Ethereum blockchain satellite payload into orbit in June.
In June 2020, SpaceChain executed the first multi-signature Bitcoin transaction in space aboard the International Space Station.
2. Blockstream
Blockstream is a blockchain technology company behind the BTC sidechain Liquid Network and a key contributor to Bitcoin Core and Lightning Network scalability solutions—making it one of the first cryptocurrency projects to “conquer” space.
The project’s space mission centers on Blockstream Satellite—a network of six geostationary satellites that continuously broadcast the Bitcoin blockchain globally for free, without requiring an internet connection.
Launched in August 2017, the initiative’s primary goal is to enhance the resilience of the Bitcoin network, enabling its operation even during global internet outages. Simultaneously, individuals in remote areas or regions with limited internet access—or where internet service providers charge exorbitant fees—can freely access the BTC blockchain.
As part of this initiative, ground stations known as “remote airports” participate in the BTC network and are responsible for transmitting blocks to Blockstream’s satellites. After receiving signals from telecom stations, Blockstream’s six geostationary satellites broadcast them across most of the globe.
Individuals within coverage range can access the Bitcoin blockchain and operate a full node using a small satellite dish and an inexpensive USB receiver—enabling them to stay continuously synchronized with the BTC network.
Interestingly, Blockstream’s ground stations also receive blocks from other ground stations to avoid partitioning, thereby ensuring the resilience of both the satellite network and Bitcoin itself.
3. Copernic Space
Copernic Space is one of the most exciting cryptocurrency space projects. Although core components of its ecosystem remain under development, Copernic Space is building a blockchain-powered platform through which participants in the space industry can tokenize their assets and enterprises.
For example, a company could leverage DLT and cryptocurrencies to crowdfund its upcoming space venture. While this enables projects to raise capital without relying on government grants and contracts, it also provides anyone the ability to invest and potentially profit from space enterprises.
Meanwhile, tokenization of space assets allows industry participants to commercialize what they own and unlock new monetization methods. On the other hand, buyers can acquire—or claim rights to—the specific capabilities they need for their projects, while offering individual investors genuine ownership of a piece of space.
In August 2021, Copernic Space announced a partnership with space technology company Lunar Outpost to conduct the first public sale of tokenized payload space. This initiative enables the public to purchase, utilize, subdivide, and resell payload space aboard Lunar Outpost’s M1 MAPP rover—which is scheduled to travel to the Moon in Q4 2022.
Interestingly, Copernic Space tokenized Lunar Outpost’s rover payload space by minting non-fungible tokens (NFTs), establishing true asset ownership—allowing investors to hold only a fractional share of the project.
In the same month, Copernic Space joined Cosmic Hub—a collaboration between the Polish Space Agency and Warsaw CIC—aimed at fostering the growth of Polish space companies through asset and product commercialization and financing via innovative technologies.
What other cryptocurrency projects focus on space infrastructure development?
Beyond the three projects mentioned above, many are striving to integrate blockchain and digital assets into space technology. Examples include:
SAT-1: Based in Bulgaria, the SAT-1 initiative is actively exploring blockchain technology and decentralized applications (dApps) to build an independent satellite communications network. As part of its Homeport project, SAT-1 aims to leverage DLT to decentralize its satellite receiver network and reduce data transmission requirements, thereby increasing downlink opportunities.
Nexus: The Nexus Protocol is a general-purpose blockchain network designed to create a new architecture for the internet. To achieve this, the project integrates microsatellites, a blockchain-based operating system, ground-based phased-array antennas, and other key components of its evolving ecosystem.
CryptoSat: Founded in 2017 by Stanford University graduates, CryptoSat deploys affordable CubeSat miniaturized satellite technology to launch an entire constellation of isolated and secure nanosatellites orbiting Earth, providing blockchain infrastructure for various services—including cryptocurrency mining and file timestamping.
Consensys Space: Consensys Space is the aerospace division of Consensys, an Ethereum- and enterprise-focused blockchain technology company. In 2018, the company acquired asteroid-mining startup Planetary Resources, enabling it to launch TruSat in 2019—a citizen-driven, open-source space sustainability system for tracking satellite orbits. However, since early 2020, Consensys has remained relatively quiet about its progress in this domain.
Dogecoin: We’ve included this one for fun. You’re likely aware that Dogecoin (DOGE), the world’s first memecoin project, has received strong praise and support from Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. Interestingly, there is real collaboration between Dogecoin and SpaceX: the latter plans to launch the DOGE-1 payload aboard a Falcon 9 rocket in Q1 2022 as the first lunar mission funded entirely by cryptocurrency (yes—literally to the Moon).
Blockchain Technology Will Become an Integral Component of Space Infrastructure
Thanks to its transparency, trustlessness, immutability, traceability, and security, blockchain technology is being actively piloted for space startups alongside industries serving global citizens—such as finance, payments, sports, and digital identity.
From decentralized networks democratizing access to the New Space Economy, to Bitcoin full nodes orbiting Earth and NFT-driven tokenization of space assets, cryptocurrencies are steadily expanding their presence globally.
While many of these initiatives remain in active development—and years will pass before humans can colonize planets like Mars—they have already garnered substantial support, forged key partnerships, and achieved significant milestones.
For this reason, it will be exciting to see what they develop over the coming years—and whether cryptocurrencies can truly conquer space.