SpaceX to Launch Cosmos Payload on CRS-27, Advancing Space Science with Crowdfunded NFTs
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL — On March 14th, 2023, SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Falcon 9 rocket with a unique payload onboard — Project Cosmos. This payload is a set of crowdfunded, physical asset Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) that will be used to advance science for space electronics on the International Space Station (ISS). The launch will mark SpaceX’s 27th commercial resupply mission for NASA.
Getting the Cosmos payload into orbit required the joint efforts of the Cardano community, Aegis Aerospace, NASA, and SpaceX. The NFTs were sold to backers through a Cardano-based crowdfunding campaign, with the funds raised going towards the development and launch of the Cosmos payload.
The NFTs sold through the Cardano-based crowdfunding campaign provide backers with a unique opportunity to own a piece of space history. Each physical asset NFT represents a specific component of the Cosmos payload and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
“The launch of the Cosmos payload is an exciting milestone for both the Cardano community and the aerospace industry,” said Willie Marchetto, a member of the Ascension Sciences engineering team who built the Cosmos payload. “By harnessing the power of blockchain and crowdfunding, we have enabled public participation in space exploration and scientific advancement. We are proud to have worked with NASA and SpaceX on this groundbreaking project.”
Cosmos is the second payload Ascension Sciences has launched to the ISS. On July 15th, 2022, the team’s Project Ascension payload hosted the first ever physical asset NFTs in space. Ascension is a space materials experiment designed to study the growth of “tin whiskers” in low-gravity environments, which can be detrimental to electronic components in space systems.
The launch of the Cosmos payload is an important achievement, demonstrating the potential for collaboration between industry and the public to advance scientific research and exploration. For more information on the Cosmos payload and the upcoming SpaceX launch, please see the project’s overview article and science experiment whitepaper.
Project Cosmos was created by Ascension Sciences — a team of space engineers who proudly operate Viper Staking on Cardano — in collaboration with Buffy Bot Publishing.
Contact:
Willie Marchetto
Ascension Sciences
willie@viperscience.com
