Blockstream blockchain company announced that they have reached the second stage of their Bitcoin communication satellite this Monday! This means we’re one step closed to be able to use Bitcoin without an Internet connection.
Blockchain via Satellite
Blockstream introduced last year an innovation when speaking of crypto access. The bockchain technology company state that they’re working on a satellite to help users access Bitcoin without an Internet connection. This is going to expand the crypto usage in regions such as North and West Africa.
The team’s main aim is that users from all over the world can be able to download and confirm blocks by radio signals. When this is finally possible, being a full node won’t cost such an effort to support the network. Ultimately, this is going to reflect dramatically on the decentralizing process.
Since the second phrase is live now, it came with the new satellite (the last one on the image) covering the Asia space, but before there were four more to have a look at. What you actually see is the ability that a blockchain works without any interruptions, thanks to all those space-located machines.
Satellite’s Coverage
At stage one users were able to only download the data with no options to send it back. This first phase covered North and South America, Europe and Africa.
What’s new when it comes to coverage in stage two is the Asia-Pacific region, providing access for free to one of the most interested places when speaking of the crypto industry.
The API Satellite
Something new in the second phrase of this project is the API satellite which allows users to broadcast data in a worldwide perspective as a part of the Lightning Network. This is an opportunity of a completely private correspondence without any option to reveal the identities of the users involved or the message’s content. This feature will be enabled in January, 2019.
How to Use the Satellite?
At the moment, the only thing you need to run a node is a small antenna and a USB device to sync with the network without being online. According the statement of Adam Back, part of the Blockstream team, this satellite is going to reach approximately 90% of the world’s population. If you’re interested to know some more on the software to download depending on your region, visit the official website for more information: https://blockstream.com/satellite/.