AIKON and Hadron blockchain projects are testing a blockchain network for processing the vast amounts of Hubble data produced. AIKON has provided Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) with an interface for receiving photos from Hubble and researchers are using Hadron blockchain for processing and visualizing the data. Josh Peek, an associate astronomer with STScI, stated other space telescopes, requires “millions upon millions” of hours of computing power to process data, which can become expensive. Blockchain solution may provide a more efficient use of resources by allowing researchers to tap into a larger network than might be available via a traditional server farm. Needless to say, the solution is 10 times less expensive than the ones NASA and STScI are currently using. The computing time paid for with AIKON’s “CPU” tokens. The coin price is pegged to the average cost of computing power charged by cloud hosting services. The system is currently being tested by STScI astronomers using a supply of free tokens. AIKON is planning to use Pay As You Go system for new users in the future. It should be reminded, in January National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) provided a $330 000 grant for scientists of the University of Akron for the research on blockchain usage for space communication. |
