How to Hack Your Way to Space (37c3)

Embark on Libre Space Foundation's journey into the world of open-source space exploration, where a passionate community of hackers and makers is challenging the traditional defense-driven approach to spacefaring. Discover how we are democratizing space by embracing open-source technologies, community collaboration, and a commitment to sustainability. The current state of the space ecosystem is characterized by its reliance on defense-oriented policies and outdated systems, hindering the true potential of space exploration. Despite the promise of Space 4.0, the reality is that space remains largely inaccessible to the public at large. Against this backdrop, a group of hackers and makers is revolutionizing the space industry. By promoting the hacker ethos of innovation, resourcefulness, and open-source principles, they are challenging the status quo and delivering creativity and accessibility into the space sector. Driven by the hackerspace movement and the broader community, we, Libre Space Foundation, are actively building our own satellites, space technologies, sharing knowledge and resources, and pushing the boundaries of space exploration. Our mission is to democratize space, making it available to everyone, regardless of background or resources. This emerging movement faces unique challenges, including working within a small, underfunded ecosystem, developing software and hardware, mapping out processes amidst complex space law and global politics, and ensuring long-term sustainability without relying on external funding. To overcome these challenges and harness the full potential of this movement, we propose a manifesto with four pillars: Open Source: All technologies developed for outer space shall be published and licensed using open source licenses. Open Data: All data related to and produced in outer space shall be freely accessed, used and built upon by anyone, anywhere, and shall be shared and managed according to the principles above. Open Development: All technologies for outer space shall be developed in a transparent, legible, documented, testable, modular, and efficient way. Open Governance: All technologies for outer space shall be governed in a participatory, collaborative, direct, and distributed way. By embracing these pillars, we can create a more open, inclusive, and sustainable space ecosystem that empowers individuals and communities to participate in the exploration of the cosmos. about this event: https://events.ccc.de/congress/2023/hub/event/how_to_hack_your_way_to_space/