ConsenSys snaps up Planetary Resources

Blockchain venture production studio ConsenSys has acquired space company Planetary Resources through an asset-purchase transaction.

The latter’s President and CEO Chris Lewicki and General Counsel Brian Israel have joined ConsenSys as part of the deal.

Lewicki worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as Flight Director of the Spirit & Opportunity Mars rovers and Phoenix Mars lander before co-founding Planetary Resources.

“Over the course of nearly a decade, Planetary Resources has simultaneously pioneered technology, business, law and policy, and brought the promise of space resources irreversibly closer to humankind’s grasp,” he says.

“I am proud of our team’s extraordinary accomplishments, grateful to our visionary supporters, and delighted to join ConsenSys in building atop our work to expand humanity’s economic sphere of influence into the solar system.”

Israel previously served in the US State Department’s Office of the Legal Advisor, where he was responsible for the international legal dimensions of outer space, oceans and international environmental governance matters, and served as US Representative to the United Nations space law body.

“Ethereum smart contract functionality is a natural solution for private-ordering and commerce in space, the only domain of human activity not ordered around territorial sovereignty, in which a diverse range of actors from a growing number of countries must coordinate and transact,” he comments

“I admire Planetary Resources for its world class talent, its record of innovation, and for inspiring people across our planet in support of its bold vision for the future. Bringing deep space capabilities into the ConsenSys ecosystem reflects our belief in the potential for Ethereum to help humanity craft new societal rule systems through automated trust and guaranteed execution,” says Ethereum Co-founder and ConsenSys Founder Joe Lubin.

“And it reflects our belief in democratising and decentralising space endeavours to unite our species and unlock untapped human potential. We look forward to sharing our plans and how to join us on this journey in the months ahead.”