The dream of an internet that's truly global and uncensorable is now within closer grasp, being developed not on the planet but from space. In the established internet infrastructure, the internet depends on ground-based towers, data centers, and terrestrial cables, mostly controlled or owned by corporations and states. In recent times, however, new space technologies have started challenging the old paradigm. Satellites and space-based networks now directly link even the remotest parts of the planet to the internet without using ground-based infrastructure. There are now innovative projects that bring the use of blockchain and Web3 protocols into outer space, thus creating decentralized networks off-planet. Put together, all these developments promise an internet not controlled by anybody, resistant to censorship and disruptions of internet service, but reachable anywhere on the planet or theoretically also above it. Satellites are transforming Earth into one giant net. Current-day LEO constellations can broadcast broadband to ships at sea, rural villages, or disaster areas without the help of local networks. Take SpaceX's Starlink constellation as an example; it already orbits over 8,000 satellites serving millions of users globally. Covering oceans, jungles, and mountains equally, satellite networks eliminate the digital divide, all without employing the infrastructure of any single country. Essentially, space-based connections circumvent censorship and blackouts: data can be sent from Earth up to a satellite and then down to another continent, unaffected by local internet blackouts. In areas where the service is slow or tightly censored, an end-to-end satellite connection enables free, unrestricted access. Large constellations indicate how the internet's reach need not just be local or regional but global, an underlying necessity for decentralization. it already orbits over 8,000 satellites it already orbits over 8,000 satellites Global Coverage: Internet access through satellite constellations covers the entire global surface, linking remote communities with high-speed connections. Some notable benefits of these satellites include: Decentralized Censorship Resistance: Because satellite communications originate in outer space, the signals are able to go behind state-controlled backbones. Decentralized network access has been termed in one report as "global, censorship-resistant, and independent of monopolies".
Perseverance: Local disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes or cable attacks) don't bring down space networks. A satellite mesh may keep communications up when parts of the ground network go down.
Multiple Operators: Cheap rockets and small "CubeSats" enable dozens of companies (even non-government entities) to put satellites in orbit today. It thus ensures some company or government never gets complete control of the entire network. Decentralized Censorship Resistance: Because satellite communications originate in outer space, the signals are able to go behind state-controlled backbones. Decentralized network access has been termed in one report as "global, censorship-resistant, and independent of monopolies". termed in one report as termed in one report as Perseverance: Local disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes or cable attacks) don't bring down space networks. A satellite mesh may keep communications up when parts of the ground network go down. Multiple Operators: Cheap rockets and small "CubeSats" enable dozens of companies (even non-government entities) to put satellites in orbit today. It thus ensures some company or government never gets complete control of the entire network. Blockchain Technology and Orbital Networks Blockchain Technology and Orbital Networks Satellites are capable of supplying the necessary infrastructure; however, genuine decentralization encompasses the management and verification of data. In this context, space innovators are exploring the application of blockchain technology and decentralized protocols beyond Earth. The concept involves positioning blockchain nodes in space, thereby eliminating dependence on any singular terrestrial server or corporation for network trust. SpaceChain, an enterprise supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), actualized this concept several years ago. In February 2018, the company successfully launched__the inaugural blockchain node into orbit__, specifically a Raspberry Pi full-node operating on the Qtum platform. Subsequently, in the following year, it delivered a payload to the International Space Station, and in August 2020, SpaceChain executed the first multisignature blockchain transaction conducted from outer space. As the Chief Technology Officer of SpaceChain, Jeff Garzik, expressed with enthusiasm, this achievement “encapsulates our continuous efforts in building out an open-source blockchain-based satellite network that is secure and immutable.” In summary, the necessary hardware and software for a distributed space network are already available. In principle, any individual could access these satellites as nodes, thereby verifying transactions or messages within a global, permissionless network. the inaugural blockchain node into orbit first multisignature blockchain transaction first multisignature blockchain transaction Likewise, the startup Spacecoin has recently illustrated the feasibility of employing blockchain technology in orbit. In the years 2024-2025, it deployed a small experimental satellite (CTC-0) that effectively transmitted an encrypted blockchain transaction from Chile to the Azores. This occurrence established that a cryptographic signature could endure an Earth-to-space-to-Earth journey without any alteration. The founder of Spacecoin clarifies that within their network, every transaction sent is verified against the blockchain located in space, thereby ensuring that it “can’t be faked, changed, or intercepted by bad actors.” In simple terms, this implies that users could utilize cryptocurrency for internet service payments while having confidence in the transaction without the necessity for a bank or Internet Service Provider (ISP). Spacecoin satellites are expected to deploy a “Starmesh” network: a tokenized access framework wherein browsing activities are encrypted and navigated through blockchain-enabled relays. encrypted blockchain transaction from Chile to the Azores encrypted blockchain transaction from Chile to the Azores These space-blockchain projects exemplify two primary benefits of a decentralized internet: open participation and trustless verification. Because the validating of transactions takes place on distributed nodes (even in space now), no individual may modify the data without being detected. And because the platforms themselves are open-source, anyone who has access to the ground station or node may participate in the network. As SpaceChain's mission statement outlines, the projects aspire to develop an "infrastructure of satellites that enable anyone, anywhere to build decentralized applications that run free from centralization". Lasers, IOT, and Quantum Security Lasers, IOT, and Quantum Security Space technology is changing at breakneck speed, making way for an ever-stronger decentralized backbone. For instance, lasers (optical) communications are being researched as an eventual replacement for slow radio connections. NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) will demonstrate optical connections capable of transmitting data at 10–100 times the speed of current radio satellites. In practical application, gigabit connections from space might become possible, supporting large blockchain databases or continent-spanning real-time video. Smaller, lighter optical terminals are already on the drawing board for the ISS, promising satellite communication through beams of light. Each incremental advance in bandwidth and miniaturization makes an orbital mesh network stronger and less expensive. NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) While all this is happening, the security is also being upgraded. There are new satellites being developed in post-quantum cryptography as well as blockchain-based IoT transaction layers. These satellite constellations are intended to enable decentralized transactions between space and devices on the ground without human mediation (with the use of token standards such as Hedera DLT). In short, satellite networks are being architected not only as pipes but as smart, crypto-secure platforms. Part of this future vision is the use of low-power space IoT nodes, inter-satellite mesh routers, as well as space-based Distributed Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) for governing the network. The specifications continue to evolve quickly, but the vision is clear: an internet where any participant shall spin up infrastructure, anywhere they please. decentralized transactions between space and devices on the ground without human mediation decentralized transactions between space and devices on the ground without human mediation Challenges and the Way Forward Challenges and the Way Forward We aren't there yet. Current satellite internet (e.g. Starlink) is still controlled by centralized corporations, and fully space-native networks don't exist. There are still technical barriers – latency through the geostationary relays, regulational questions concerning the spectrum and the orbital slots, and the expensive startup cost for satellite equipment. There also needs to be robust protocols on the decentralized system for it to deal with outages as well as switching satellites in view. But each year sees progress. Launch costs are plummeting (SpaceX rideshares, small-sat rockets, etc.), making space more accessible. Companies are launching swarm constellations of CubeSats and microsats, lowering the barrier to entry. Open standards are emerging: NASA’s Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN) efforts for deep space could be adapted to a resilient mesh near Earth. Even community projects like open-source ground stations and educational satellite kits are sprouting up. In short, the pieces are coming together. Satellite broadband has proved it can reach every corner of Earth. Blockchain technology has proved it can function in orbit. Future innovations promise faster links and broader participation. Taken together, these space tech trends are literally lifting the internet off the ground. A generation from now, we may well use a space-and-blockchain backbone as the foundation of a truly decentralized web – one that no single company or country can control. A true story of Liberty from LEO.

The is an opinion piece based on the author’s POV and does not necessarily reflect the views of HackerNoon.

This story contains AI-generated text. The author has used AI either for research, to generate outlines, or write the text itself. 

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The Next Internet Revolution Will Happen in Orbit, Not on Earth

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