(ORIGINAL THREAD https://bt.irlbtc.com/view/1183158.0)

Operation Caelus is a project i'm starting to get a Cubesat with a Bitcoin node to space.

this will be a open source project for everyone to follow. the goal is to send a Cubesat with a Bitcoin node to the Thermosphere.
A Bitcoin node in space would be a great achievement for the bitcoin community!

The Cubesat will be build by various members of the Bitcoin community and financed with Bitcoins.
yes, i am well aware of the difficulties of this project, but i thought that if Apollo 11 landed on the moon on the 20th of July 1969 with less technology then a modern calculator, then so can the bitcoin community (but let's focus on the Thermosphere instead of the moon Wink )


one of the key goals with this Project, except for the Bitcoin node part is to create unique satellite with 0 or close to 0 commercial satellite parts, such as NanoPower P31U Power Supply, ISIS On Board Computer and so on.
for that, i suggest the Core computer to be made out of a RPI, most likely a RPI cluster (2x, can't drain to much power) or a tweaked RPI.
if Possible a camera could also be used on the satellite to broadcast live footage of the first Bitcoin node in space.
to make it more cost effective i propose a 1.33 Kg mass (MAX) Cubesat (10x10x10CM)

Building the satellite itself is not that hard nor expensive. the hard part is the launch it self. there are 2 ways one could go on about it.
1; some corporations offers to launch private and none-private Cubesats to space, but the cost of that is estimated at 120k USD.
2; put all of our intelligence together to launch the satellite ourself.

This Project will be a hard and long way, but if success, a great achievement for all of the participants and the bitcoin community)