A decentralized autonomous space agency

I started a working group to discuss conceptual and implementation related aspects of a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) focused on world-changing space projects.

The idea is to leverage recent developments in crypto to bootstrap a global, distributed, decentralized, P2P space agency of the people, by the people, for the people.

In 2009 I wrote a paper titled “A Virtual World Space Agency,” published in Futures. The paper can be downloaded from academia.edu.

Edited excerpt:

Are national space agencies going to take us to space? Are international space agencies going to take us to space? Are corporations going to take up to space? In short, no, no, and no. In today’s world, nations are often the problem, not the solution. International organizations are paralyzed by bureaucracy and power struggles between different national interests. And corporations can’t be expected to see beyond next year’s financials.

I see a role for global, well organized groups of space professional and enthusiasts. In the past, concerted actions by distributed groups were made difficult by the distances involved, but technology is eliminating geography as a limit and enabling informed decision-making and concerted action by large groups of people. Focused citizen action for space is today possible thanks to the internet, which can enable what Marshall T. Savage, in his visionary cult book “The Millennial Project: Colonizing the Galaxy in Eight Easy Steps” (1992–4), called a Human Laser: people acting in synchronous harmony, creating a coherent beam of intent.

Of course, space is all about hardware that must be manufactured. But it’s perfectly possible for a small team to assemble space hardware from prefab commercial components. Robotic subsystems can be at least prototyped with LEGO Mindstorms, and computing subsystems can be built with low-cost Raspberry Pi boards.

Look no further than Cory Doctorow’s delicious “The Man Who Sold The Moon” (first published in “Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future,” 2014) for concepts of 3D-printed space hardware produced by distributed teams of “makers,” and see my essay “Globalization and Open Source Nano Economy” (first published in “Nanotechnology Perceptions,” 2006) for how 3D printing could evolve to molecular nanotech (which is beginning to happen).

Back to the present, good space hardware can already be built much cheaper than in the past by distributed teams. Launch costs are still much less compressible, but coming down as well.

So I’m proposing to form a global, distributed, decentralized, P2P space agency of the people, by the people, for the people, focused on world-changing space projects.

In the past it wasn’t clear how to bootstrap something like that without a mountain of cash to start with.

Enter the concept of Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) or Corporation (DAC).

Excerpt from my recent DAO primer “It’s a DAO World,” published in Crypto Insider, the first in a series of articles on DAO business models:

Internet entrepreneur and blockchain evangelist David Orban is persuaded that DAOs could run very ambitious crowdfunded initiatives to tackle important challenges, including a new global phase of the space program. “With The DAO now being implemented this is starting to make sense,” he said. “From the $10M order of magnitude crowdsales two years ago, to the $100M crowdsale today, we will get to $1B in a couple of years, and then to $10B in another two-three. Those are meaningful numbers to fund a Mars mission (if not a Mars colony yet).” See also my 2009 essay on “A Virtual World Space Agency,” which didn’t mention DAOs only because the concept wasn’t yet popular at the time.

A realistic business model for public interest DAOs could be acting as subcontractors of private foundations or public agencies. It remains to be seen, of course, if philanthropic and public agencies are willing to embrace “subversive” partners.

The (original) DAO design wasn’t solid enough, but this is work in progress. I am persuaded that future iterations could be solid enough for very ambitious projects. Wings and Vega Fund are worth watching.

So I am discussing conceptual and implementation related aspects of a DAO focused on world-changing space projects with a few friends interested in space and crypto, starting with a clean slate, no preconceived solutions, and all doors open. The objective of the working group is to develop a solid, sustainable design.

As a former space engineer and senior manager who has spent the last few years researching and writing about the emerging crypto economy, I can play a role in this project. At the same time, I’m not the best person to lead it, because I am unable to single-mindedly focus on a project for a long stretch of time. However, I’m willing to lead the working group in the first phase, waiting for a leader to emerge. Here’s how I think we should proceed:

• First phase: Conceptual Design (WHY/WHAT). Why we are doing this (vision and mission), and what exactly we want to do. I think it’s important to complete this phase before moving on to detailed design.
• Second phase: Detailed Design (HOW). How to implement the conceptual design with available or developing blockchain technologies. This is the time to discuss blockchain tech, Ethereum, alternatives, software design etc. The output should be a detailed design whitepaper ready for implementation.

As I see it at the moment the new space DAO (or DAC) should consider all projects that have both 1) a potential to help establishing an interplanetary (and tomorrow interstellar) civilization, and 2) a potential to make money (or at least recover the costs). Besides “real” space projects, enabling technology development projects and related media projects should also be considered.

Participation in the space DAO will be open to everyone, including passive investors. At the same time, we hope to attract those who want to be directly involved in projects as hands-on volunteers and freelance workers.

The projects that come to my mind at this moment are related to the return to the Moon and to innovative, highly imaginative space propulsion technologies. However, in a DAO projects are submitted and approved by the members, so the first projects of the space DAO can’t be defined at this stage.

An important issue is, how to financially incentivize participants. The lesson from Bitcoin and The DAO is that the unwashed masses will participate in all sorts of world-changing projects if they are (also) financially motivated.

The space DAO (final name to be chosen) should be designed to self-bootstrap from a first $100,000 project to launch itself — software development, marketing etc. — to ambitious $1 billion plus space projects. The value of DAO shares should increase with time and achievements. Participants should always be able to sell their DAO shares internally or on external exchanges. Achieving all that requires careful conceptual design and parameter tweaking — the first design phase should be more about economics than crypto and space.

I created a secret Facebook group to start with, because all current participants are active on Facebook, and Facebook permits structured discussions. We could move to other platforms (mailing list, Slack…) if needed. Please get in touch if you would like to participate.

Let’s do this!

Picture adapted from NASA photo.