One of the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces may take a closer look at cryptocurrencies, not for financing an arms race but for their underlying technology. The interest of the Space Force is not in the value of Bitcoin, but in what it hides.
Yes, the United States has a Space Force, and one of its officers is Major Jason Lowery. He is also an astronautical engineer, whose goal is to “organize, train, and equip space forces to protect U.S. and allied interests in space.”
For a decade, Lowery worked as an advisor for U.S. government offices, and his current task is to provide advice to offices such as the President’s Office or the Secretary of Defense’s Office. He still deals with what a layperson might call space security, but now he is approaching the matter in a new way, focusing on Bitcoin.
It’s not about the value
However, if you think that the officer’s task is to launch cryptocurrency mining to finance interplanetary armament of the USA, you are mistaken. Lowery has a much more complex idea.
In a letter to the U.S. Defense Innovation Board, Lowery calls for the use of Proof of Work (PoW), an algorithm used to approve transactions made with cryptocurrencies, rather than the currency itself.
“PoW is an encrypted, cryptographic calculation. That’s the easiest way to explain it,” says Marcin Wituś, president of Geco Capital OU, a company managing alternative funds, including digital assets, operating under an Estonian license. It prevents, for example, duplicate or counterfeit bitcoins, acting as a safeguard in a financial world without central banks supervision.
Major Lowery suggests a closer look at PoW to see if such algorithms can be used in military operations, perhaps led by the U.S. Space Forces.
New Perspective
Although this still seems like science fiction, Witus believes it makes sense. Algorithms used by cryptocurrencies could be valuable for cybersecurity. We knew that cryptocurrencies’ mechanisms could be used for more than just creating currency, he adds.
Therefore, Lowery is reminding that Bitcoin is not just a virtual coin but a well-protected asset. According to the Major, PoW can be used in the future to protect the Space Force’s digital data and resources from cyber attacks.
Like HIMARS
Such an algorithm could be akin to heavy military equipment deployed at the state border. For example, HIMARS launchers, the purchase of which Poland strongly lobbied from the USA. Such units are intended to ensure security and deter adversaries. Lowery suggests PoW could serve the same purpose.
He argues that not only the army but also the government administration could benefit from Bitcoin’s algorithms, perhaps to protect internet-sent commands and messages.
“Hacker attacks are widespread today. Every country, every service, is looking for a better way to protect against cyber attacks. There is an arms race in which both sides are employing artificial intelligence,” adds Marcin Wituś.
AI was the recent highlight, but now it’s time for a critical look. Experts are increasingly pointing out that, although AI is a good tool for data protection, it’s also great for cracking those protections.
That’s why the U.S. Space Force recently banned its employees and military personnel from using AI-based tools (like ChatGPT), due to data security concerns. The news was confirmed by Major Tanya Downsworth, a U.S. Space Force spokesperson.
The Space Force wants to avoid a situation where AI seizes strategic, confidential, or even classified information, which could then be taken over by enemy-directed AI.
That’s why there’s a need for better data encryption, to which Major Lowery wants to apply the Bitcoin algorithm. “This undoubtedly is a great advertisement for cryptocurrencies. If one of the branches of the U.S. armed forces is interested in the protections used in Bitcoin, it signals to users that these are ultra-secure digital assets,” emphasizes Marcin Wituś, president of Geco Capital OU.
