A Bitcoiner in Brazil has beamed the blockchain from space. Mauricio Cessere, product manager at Ledn and a Venezuelan national, has established the purported first Bitcoin (BTC) satellite full node in Brazil.
The full satellite node that Cessere has established downloads the Bitcoin blockchain directly from the Blockstream Satellite Network, negating the need for a reliable internet connection. It’s a small step for Bitcoin’s web of nodes but a giant leap for Bitcoin adoption, evincing that those in remote or hard to reach areas could run nodes.
A refresher for those new to nodes: a Bitcoin full node is software that continuously monitors the blockchain and its complete transaction history. A full node prohibits non-legitimate transactions and thwarts attempts to spend Bitcoin twice, known as a “double-spend”. Cessere explains that nodes “grant their owners decentralized access to the only uncensorable monetary network that we know of today.”
However, up until 2020, configuring a Bitcoin node (sometimes called a Bitcoin peer, as Bitcoin is a “peer-to-peer version of electronic cash”) was wholly dependent on local internet providers. Thanks to upgrades in Bitcoin company Blockstream’s Satellite Network, Bitcoin believers around the world can download a full node without an internet connection.
But, why does it matter? As Cessere explains: “Satellite Full Nodes are the next step to further decentralization of the Bitcoin network,” adding:
“The use case for Satellite Full Nodes could not be brighter. A few offline access points of these can fully connect remote communities to Bitcoin, even ones without prior internet access.”
There is a compelling case for satellite full nodes, particularly in countries that struggle with unstable governments, unreliable internet connections and weak digital infrastructure. In effect, a satellite full node can help more emerging countries and individuals without internet connections contribute and eventually participate in the Bitcoin network.
Bitcoin Gandalf (not his real name), of Braiins Bitcoin mining company explained to Cointelegraph that “using Blockstream satellite adds an additional level of redundancy should more traditional connectivity methods be interrupted.”
It’s taken me much longer than expected, but I will download #Bitcoin‘s…
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