Space Telecommunications Inc. (STI), the company behind the open-source satellite internet protocol Spacecoin, has launched three satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking a major step toward a permissionless, decentralized global internet that anyone can build on, expand, or contribute to.

STI owns and operates all three satellites, having secured the required regulatory approvals, while mission integration was handled by Arrow Science and Technology. Spacecoin acts as the protocol layer for authorization, authentication, and accounting in this open satellite data network.

A First-in-the-World Blockchain Integration in Orbit

This CTC-1 mission builds upon last year’s CTC-0 launch but introduces something unprecedented: it is the first satellite constellation engineered specifically for decentralized internet infrastructure with a blockchain protocol embedded directly into its design. STI has already secured several issued and pending patents for the proprietary technologies that support this model.

What CTC-0 Proved

The CTC-0 mission gained global attention when it successfully transmitted an encrypted blockchain message from Earth to space and back with full payload integrity. This proved that blockchain operations—traditionally grounded in terrestrial networks—can remain secure, functional, and verifiable even through space-based communications.

What CTC-1 Will Validate

The new satellites are now tasked with proving two essential capabilities for decentralized satellite connectivity:

Uninterrupted User Connectivity Across LEO Passes

STI will test whether users can maintain a stable connection while satellites move across the sky in low-Earth orbit. This seamless handoff is crucial for any satellite internet service and even more important for decentralized architectures.

Satellite-to-Satellite Routing With Minimal Ground Dependence

The second objective is to validate direct inter-satellite communication. This reduces reliance on ground stations and allows the network to function more like a resilient, space-based mesh.

If validated, STI will begin real-world connectivity demonstrations with several government and telecom partners who have already signed agreements to test the system.

Introducing Starmesh

To showcase the user benefits of decentralization, the Spacecoin ecosystem is building Starmesh—a decentralized VPN designed for private, anonymous, and encrypted browsing through distributed nodes instead of centralized servers. Early prototype testing is planned for early to mid next year, offering a preview of how a decentralized satellite internet could transform user privacy and resilience.

Expanding Global Partnerships

STI is now seeking collaborations with governments, telecom providers, and institutional players around the world. Organizations can pilot decentralized satellite technologies in their region and experience firsthand how they perform under real operational conditions.

This push aligns with a growing global interest in digital sovereignty, resilient infrastructure, and alternative communication layers that cannot be shut down or censored.

An Internet That Cannot Be Switched Off

Founder Tae Oh summarized the mission clearly:

“Internet services need not be centralized… This is a step toward a world where everybody, everywhere, has access to the basic human right of internet access.”

Conclusion: A New Kind of Competitor in a Crowded Satellite Market

The satellite internet sector is dominated by giants like Starlink, OneWeb, Amazon Kuiper, and Rivada. But none of them are building what STI is building: a **permissionless, blockchain-governed decentralized architecture**.

Starlink leads in coverage; Kuiper brings Amazon-scale resources; OneWeb focuses on enterprise and government; Rivada positions itself as a sovereign-controlled LEO provider.
But all of them remain centralized systems with chokepoints, gatekeepers, and single points of control.

Industry analyses from ESA, IEEE ComSoc, and MIT Technology Review show a clear trend toward distributed, interoperable, and multi-layered architectures—precisely the direction STI is moving.

STI is small compared to Starlink, but it has something none of the giants offer: an open, decentralized protocol layer designed to be interoperable and censorship-resistant. If the CTC-1 mission validates seamless handover and satellite-to-satellite routing, STI could become an essential backbone in the next generation of global connectivity.

In a world increasingly disrupted by outages, cyberattacks, and geopolitical pressure, a decentralized satellite network may soon shift from a bold idea to a strategic necessity.