Hubble Researcher Focuses on Blockchain for Space Data Processing

by  Nikhilesh De,  CoinDesk

Space Telescope Science Institute astronomer Josh Peek says he is testing a decentralized blockchain network for processing the massive volumes of data produced by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Peek, an associate astronomer with the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), told CoinDesk that the HST, like other space telescopes, requires “millions upon millions” of hours of computing power to process data, which can become expensive.

“Tens of millions of CPU hours can really run up a bill. NASA and [STScI] use computing centers and that’s a way we can go … but there’s long latency period where you go through a grant process … and so the idea came up that we could use a distributed network to do this really efficiently, it’s 10 times cheaper than standard cloud computing.”

Peek is using an AIKON interface to enter the data, which is then processed and rendered via computers forming Hadron’s blockchain network. “The idea is, we work through AIKON, [which] works as an intermediary and they provide a simple interface for companies to use, or for research groups like mine,” he explained.

AIKON’s Marc Blinder says computing time is paid for with AIKON’s “CPU” tokens. Volatility is reduced by tying the value of a token to the average cost of computing power charged by cloud hosting services, while Peek says the system streamlines the process of tapping into a distributed network. Peek says, “AIKON is trying to…make this as simple as possible with no cryptocurrency nonsense.”  Full report