Blockstream Satellite API: Pay with BTC via Lightning to Broadcast Data Globally

If bitcoin is to be the global currency, it needs more channels to propagate than just public internet. Public Internet is too censorship receptive for system like Bitcoin. Broadcasting the block and tx data to the world via satellite gets us one step closer. Great work Blockstream!

There is a setup guide by grubles <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;hackernoon.com&#x2F;building-your-own-bitcoin-satellite-node-6061d3c93e7" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;hackernoon.com&#x2F;building-your-own-bitcoin-satellite-n...</a> for linux capable people.

Quote from Jeff Garzik about the Blockstream satellite:<p>&gt; It’s cheap to write a check to another satellite provider to do a broadcast for you. It’s a centralized data service, with a centralized [satellite] provider, and carries plenty of shutdown and censorship risk.<p>&gt; It’s also a great way to centralize everybody on Blockstream’s version of the blockchain, as it appears that Blockstream are the only ones transmitting (uplinking) to the satellite.<p>Why is Blockstream being disingenuous about their satellite service promoting it as a path to decentralization when in reality it’s a centralized chokepoint?<p>Also, why is Blockstream actively destroying BTC’s value proposition by turning BTC into a settlement layer for the Lightning Network?

Hey look, another interesting idea for blockchain based propagation that will be niche and forgotten in a few months. Cool tech, but ultimately fucking useless.

The broadcast is global, the ability to recieve the broadscasts is... uh.... an implementation detail left to the user! (NB: involves satellite dishes)

For those wondering about how much the lightning network is actually used, have a look at the stats [0]. Adoption is growing steadily.<p>[0]: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;1ml.com&#x2F;statistics" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;1ml.com&#x2F;statistics</a>

Congratulations, Blockstream! Great to see this come online. Will Liquid customers pay extra for this, or is it included?

Was satellite communication the goal of blockstream all along or did a random thought&#x2F;opportunity come around at some point over the last couple years and it appeared like a good pivot?

btw you can see the sent queue and send messages here <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;blockstream.com&#x2F;satellite-queue&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;blockstream.com&#x2F;satellite-queue&#x2F;</a>

for some reason this strikes me as spectacularly unnecessary

So this seems useless for payment, but here is the real hidden interest:<p>You can send a file up to 10Kb, and pay for byte sent.<p>It&#x27;s cheap, coast looks to be $0.0035 for a 5Kb file.<p>The receiver can get the file, encrypted, without internet, using only a SDR tv card, amplifier and antenna, worldwide, in 10 minutes.<p>I see there large possible applications!!!<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;blockstream.com&#x2F;satellite-queue&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;blockstream.com&#x2F;satellite-queue&#x2F;</a><p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;Blockstream&#x2F;satellite#hardware-requirements" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;Blockstream&#x2F;satellite#hardware-requiremen...</a><p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;blockstream.com&#x2F;satellite-api-documentation&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;blockstream.com&#x2F;satellite-api-documentation&#x2F;</a>

I wonder why they&#x27;re using SDR instead of a standard like DVB-S2.