SpaceX Founding Member Jim Cantrell Joins Spacecoin to Scale Decentralized Satellite Network

Spacecoin, a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) powered by satellites, has welcomed Jim Cantrell as a strategic advisor.

Cantrell, born in 1965, is an American entrepreneur, a mechanical engineer, an author, and a road racer. He is the CEO and co-founder of Phantom Space Corporation, which works on space transportation technology.

Furthermore, he worked at the French Space Agency CNES and the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, as well as an independent consultant to aerospace companies.

Moreover, he is a founding member of SpaceX. He was the VP and a consultant for SpaceX and Elon Musk’s industry mentor when the company launched in 2002.

Welcome @jamesncantrell to Spacecoin.

Founding advisor to SpaceX. Serial entrepreneur. Visionary.

Jim sees the future in decentralized infrastructure and he’s joining our mission to build it.

From Earth to orbit, let’s make it happen.

What questions do you have for Jim? pic.twitter.com/Hl1zBVksHL

According to the announcement shared with Cryptonews, Cantrell joins Spacecoin at “a pivotal moment in the company’s roadmap.” He will provide vast technical and commercial expertise as the company scales its decentralized satellite constellation to supply underserved communities globally with internet access, the team says.

“I have long been a believer in the power of decentralized networks for assuring human liberty and economic independence,” Cantrell says. “I am excited to work with Spacecoin who shares this vision and wants to expand it into space.”

Per the website, in 2025, Spacecoin plans to launch more satellites to conduct pilot tests across various frequency bands. Also, it aims to secure more partners for market adoption and expansion, and to prepare for its Q4 launch.

In 2026, the team plans to expand coverage and prepare to introduce a service that enables users to join the network by launching their own satellites.

Spacecoin says that it’s the world’s first DePIN powered by blockchain-enabled low Earth orbit satellites (LEO nanosatellite constellations). It utilizes these nanosatellites to deliver censorship-resistant, direct-to-device (smartphone) internet access in underserved regions. Traditional telecom and internet providers do not reach these remote areas.

Additionally, Spacecoin aims to become the standard open protocol for permissionless, global, borderless connectivity.

Furthermore, it combines decentralized internet infrastructure with on-chain credit and payment systems to enable digital and financial inclusion.

The network is open and community-governed. Users stake tokens for governance, pay for bandwidth, and build on-chain credit through Creditcoin, the Layer-1 blockchain powering Spacecoin.

The Creditcoin blockchain helps manage a constellation of small satellites by tracking operations and facilitating payments, with no central authority involved, an earlier announcement explains.

The project also integrates with partners, including Sui for smart contracts and Walrus for decentralized storage.

From one satellite to a global DePIN network.

Spacecoin Founder @taelimoh lays out the future of Spacecoin and the open-source ecosystem we’re building.

Watch the full clip ↓ pic.twitter.com/axEQ7aPxRw

Meanwhile, Spacecoin launched its first blockchain-enabled LEO satellite (CTC-0) on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in December 2024. It has three more scheduled for deployment by the end of 2025.

Earlier this month, it also launched a real-time satellite tracker for CTC-0. Anybody can follow CTC-0’s orbital path, “reaffirming the protocol’s focus on transparency,” the team says.

Additionally, Spacecoin plans to expand across underserved regions in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.

“We’re not just sending satellites into orbit—we’re building the foundation for a permissionless internet,” said Tae Oh, Founder of Spacecoin, and the creator of Creditcoin and Gluwa. Jim Cantrell’s “experience building real-world space systems makes him the ideal advisor as we prepare to scale operations.”

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