At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Kristina Lucrezia Cornèr, a Cointelegraph ambassador and editor-at-large, interviewed Marta Belcher, president and chair of the Filecoin Foundation, about their initiatives showcasing decentralized technology in space communication.
On January 16, the Filecoin Foundation revealed they had successfully conducted a test, transmitting files from Earth to space and back using an InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) designed for space communications. This achievement is the result of nearly three years of collaboration with aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, fulfilling the original vision of IPFS as a tool for long-distance networking, such as in space.
Belcher highlighted the efficiency of decentralized systems in space communications, contrasting them with centralized systems, which are effective on Earth but face significant delays in space. For instance, there’s a multi-second delay for the moon and a multi-minute delay for Mars. This delay occurs because, in a centralized system, file retrieval requires a round trip from Earth to space. In contrast, decentralized systems use a content identification protocol, enabling file access from the closest location, such as a nearby satellite.
Belcher emphasized the advantage of IPFS in data verifiability. The system cryptographically ensures the integrity of data, such as satellite images, by assigning a unique content ID. Any alteration in the data changes this ID, allowing for cryptographic verification of the data’s authenticity.
Furthermore, Belcher pointed out the challenges of centralized architectures in space, particularly concerning radiation and space debris. These factors can corrupt files stored in space. However, a decentralized protocol mitigates this risk by enabling access to multiple file copies. If one copy gets corrupted, it’s inconsequential, as the system can retrieve the file from another source. This resilience makes decentralized systems particularly suitable for the harsh conditions of space.
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