SERA Launches Mission Control App on Telegram, powered by TON Blockchain  

September 30, 2025 -- SERA is revolutionizing public participation in space exploration with the launch of a new decentralized program, democratizing access to space through a Telegram mini app powered by TON Blockchain.

In a landmark moment for onchain participation, SERA is transforming space exploration into a global open-access initiative where anyone with a smartphone can participate in either becoming or selecting an astronaut for an opportunity to fly on an upcoming Blue Origin New Shepard mission.

This groundbreaking integration leverages the massive reach of Telegram and the unique capabilities of the TON Blockchain to create a new model for public engagement in spaceflight.

A New Onchain Model for Astronaut Selection

The heart of this program is the SERA Mission Control mini-app, accessible directly within Telegram. Unlike traditional mobile apps, this experience requires no separate download or installation, offering seamless, one-tap access to Telegram's nearly 1 billion users.

Within the mini app, SERA is reimagining astronaut selection as a global, public event. Users worldwide can complete challenges, build communities, and earn SpaceDust, an in-app points system. Astronaut candidates and their supporters accumulate SpaceDust to rise up the leaderboard and be eligible to earn the community’s vote and win one of 6 seats aboard the flight. The voting will run on TON's native infrastructure and serves as a decentralized voting mechanism, allowing the SERA community to collectively choose the astronauts and the experiments they fly.

"We are excited to open this platform and invite the world to join us on this mission," said Joshua Skurla, co-founder of SERA. "This is the first time a space program has been in the hands of the people."

SERA co-founder Sam Hutchison added, "By building on TON, we've created a one-of-a-kind system that empowers the global community to not only participate in the journey but to directly select who goes to space. This is the future of space exploration, built for everyone.”

SERA has reserved six seats on a future Blue Origin New Shepard mission. Five seats are allocated to partner nations that have had few or no astronauts, including Nigeria, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Thailand. The sixth seat is open to everyone else on the planet from a nation that is not sanctioned by the US.

…And Space Research

This initiative extends SERA’s previous collaboration with Blue Origin which saw SERA’s first astronaut, Victor Hespanha, selected from the SERA community to become South America’s first civilian astronaut. Blue Origin is committed to enabling a future where millions of people live and work in space for the benefit of Earth. This collaboration not only provides a human spaceflight opportunity for everyday citizens but also launches a new platform for microgravity research.

“Our mission is to make space accessible to everyone,” said Phil Joyce, SVP, New Shepard. “We look forward to watching the global community participate in this novel program — and to welcoming the lucky six to West Texas soon.”

Central to this initiative is the SERA Science Platform, a new decentralized framework for space-based research. The platform will utilize TON Blockchain to allow the global community to submit and vote on scientific experiments for the upcoming mission. This DeSci (Decentralized Science) approach aims to lower the barriers to entry, making space science accessible to a wider network of students, innovators, and researchers.

Fueled by TON and the Community

This project stands as one of the most ambitious consumer applications built on TON to date. The choice of TON was strategic, as its high-speed, scalable architecture and deep integration with the Telegram ecosystem provide the perfect foundation for a real-world, decentralized program with global participation. This shows a powerful new use case for Web3 technology: engaging everyday people in real-world decision-making.

“SERA’s Mission Control mini app is space exploration reimagined for a generation of social media users,” said Max Crown, President and CEO of TON Foundation. “By launching on TON and making it instantly accessible inside Telegram, SERA is transforming space travel from something distant and untouchable into an experience that’s achievable, interactive, and fully onchain. This is exactly the kind of exciting, culture-shifting launch that TON was built to power.”

To sign up for mission updates and participate in the astronaut selection program, sera.space

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