Building a Decentralized & Uncensorable Internet — The Nexus Protocol
Nexus.io releases an architectural blueprint for the building of a decentralized and uncensorable internet
On December 21st, 2020, the Nexus Protocol white paper was released. The new internet will be driven by a blockchain-based operating system (LX-OS) and communications protocol (Nexus Protocol), that will be connected by a distributed satellite-based mesh network. The white paper contains technical specifications and mathematical models that showcase and prove the viability, value proposition, and practicality of this novel architectural framework.
Network Architecture
Web 3.0 or Decentralized Web (DWeb), has been coined as the next evolution of the internet, with the promise of emancipating digital communication by reducing our reliance on a select few companies and technologies, to ultimately diminish the dominance of conglomerates.
Tokenized Micro-satellite Constellations will provide the opportunity for individuals to own part of the internet’s physical infrastructure, build equity, and participate in decentralized governance. Micro-satellites will operate in many Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations to provide low latency and open access to the Nexus Protocol globally. The white paper indicates that future documentation will provide further specifications, including the minimum number of satellites required to form an initial network and constellation simulations.
Ground Stations will operate in a cell-like topology, performing most of the heavy network processing and supplying localized content, edge computing, and routing services. Whilst phased array antennas will be utilized to maintain the link to the micro-satellites in LEO. This type of antenna is electrically steered and can realize high gains and mobility, thus it has been chosen for sustained two-way communication between the satellites and ground stations. In terms of end-user access, there are two standards currently being considered: Wi-Fi local hot-spots and cellular LTE technology.
Frequency allocation is crucial to ensuring the Nexus Protocol meets the goal of a free and open protocol, remaining unrestricted and unowned by any single party. To achieve this, it will use the 5.8 GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band that does not require licensing or have limits on antenna gains.
Operating System
LX-OS, a Nexus Operating System (OS) specifically designed for the Nexus Protocol, is currently under development to fortify hardware abstractions, security requirements and reduce overall risk to embedded devices, micro-satellites, and consumer grade hardware.
Game Theory
The infrastructure components are elegantly woven together with an economic model designed to nurture the numerous revenue streams, in order to ultimately provide humanity with free access to internet services globally whilst creating universal economic opportunities.
A New Internet
The Nexus Protocol integrates into the TAO framework, a seven layer software stack that enables the simplified implementation of smart contracts, DApps, tokens, and assets (NFT’s) through a set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
In keeping with true open source crypto values, to preserve the white paper as an open specification, it was time stamped and recorded on the Nexus blockchain under blockchain asset name US:NP-WP. The raw blockchain asset information is shown below and publically available through the Nexus API.
{“result”:{“owner”:”a1bc1623d785130bd7bd725d523bd2bb755518646c3831ea7cd5f86883845901",”created”:1608574805,”modified”:1610222781,”address”:”88Pnob1imCyeV8gCDd681HLjnVdM4mBa6E1HnYeGZR2hEmqqy2P”,”checksum”:”3bfc2b9d22b03d2cd02ffb88a216a5962d8b1f1090d407a2a44ad2808659ccf4",”description”:”[PDF] Nexus Protocol — White Paper Specification Document”,”release”:”https://github.com/Nexusoft/NP-WP/releases/download/1.0.0/Nexus_Protocol_1.0.0.pdf","version":"1.0.0"}}
[1] LEO Satellite Networks: https://leosatsim.github.io/
[2] Nexus Protocol 1.0.0: https://github.com/Nexusoft/NP-WP/releases/download/1.0.0/Nexus_Protocol_1.0.0.pdf
[3] The Network Effects Bible: https://medium.com/@nfx/the-network-effects-bible-c6a06b8ae75b
Nexus.io is a community driven project with the common vision of a world inspired by innovation and responsible values, expansive technology, and the fundamental quality of connection being ubiquitous, free, and available to everyone.
