NASA to Use Blockchain for Moon Landing Verification in 2025 Mission

In a groundbreaking collaboration, NASA, along with Florida-based computing startup Lonestar and the Isle of Man, is embarking on a mission to send a payload to the Moon in February 2024. This mission will carry "data cubes" to the lunar surface, and the data within these cubes will be secured and verified using blockchain technology. The primary objective of this endeavor is to utilize blockchain to provide irrefutable proof that humans have indeed landed on the Moon when NASA launches its second crewed mission, Artemis 3, in 2025. Artemis, NASA's ambitious lunar exploration program, is entering its second phase with the launch of Artemis 2 scheduled for November 2024. While Artemis 2 will be crewed, the mission involves orbiting the Moon before returning to Earth, rather than landing on lunar soil. The subsequent mission, Artemis 3, aims to put humans on the Moon's surface. As part of the scientific missions planned during the Artemis program, Lonestar and the Isle of Man are collaborating to pioneer long-term lunar data storage systems powered by solar energy, requiring minimal additional infrastructure. The testing process will involve the creation of digital stamps, a concept known as "digital franking," which will be stored within the data cubes on the Moon's surface. Once installed, blockchain technology will be used to verify the data's integrity and ensure it remains untouched during its lunar stay. One intriguing aspect of blockchain's immutable nature is its potential to allow future astronauts to interact with the data cubes as a form of lunar check-in. Any interactions by astronauts could be securely verified via blockchain, potentially addressing and dispelling any conspiracy theories that might arise regarding the authenticity of future Moon landings. In an interview with Science Focus, the head of innovation at Digital Isle of Man acknowledged that NASA had faced challenges in refuting claims that it falsified the six crewed Moon landings between 1969 and 1972. While blockchain technology may not convince conspiracy theorists of historical lunar landings, it is poised to serve as an indisputable record for future lunar explorations, offering conclusive evidence that humans have touched the Moon's surface. This innovative use of blockchain technology not only ensures data integrity for future missions but also demonstrates the evolving applications of blockchain beyond the realm of cryptocurrencies, extending its utility to space exploration and verification.