The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), along with its partners Lonestar, a computing startup located in Florida, and the Isle of Man, are preparing to transport a payload to the Moon in February 2024.
This payload will contain “data cubes,” and the information within these cubes will be validated on Earth using blockchain technology.
Assuming everything proceeds as planned, this same blockchain technology will definitively and permanently confirm that humans have landed on the Moon when NASA conducts its second crewed mission, known as Artemis 3, in 2025.
According to Cointelegraph, the Artemis mission is advancing to its next phase, with Artemis 2 scheduled for launch in November 2024.
Although Artemis 2 will have a crew on board, the four astronauts will depart from Earth, orbit the Moon, and then return to Earth. It’s not the same as physically landing on lunar terrain, but Artemis 2 is intended to be the final trial before the U.S. government puts humans back on the Moon’s surface with Artemis 3.
As one of the scientific endeavors occurring during the Artemis missions, Lonestar and the Isle of Man are collaborating to establish sustainable lunar storage systems that rely on solar power and do not require additional infrastructure. According to a report from the BBC’s Science Focus, this test will involve the creation of digital stamps, a technology referred to as “digital franking,” which will be stored within the data cubes on the Moon. Once deployed, the data will be verified using blockchain technology on Earth to ensure its completeness and integrity.
An interesting outcome of blockchain’s unchangeable nature is that future astronauts landing on the Moon could utilize these data cubes to effectively confirm their presence on the Moon’s surface. Their interactions could be authenticated through the blockchain, potentially dispelling any conspiracy theories associated with upcoming Moon landings.
It is worth noting that in an interview with Science Focus, the head of innovation at Digital Isle of Man mentioned that NASA has faced challenges in debunking claims that it fabricated the six crewed Moon landings between 1969 and 1972.
