Hello Pierros!
Thanks for showing interest to INDIHUB project, glad you liked the idea and see the potential!
Answering your questions:
- You are right - at this point it is "friend-to-friend" deal at the moment. There is no way to discover other hosts on network at the moment (we will change it soon). We are planing to add directory of hosts where users will be able to "book" time for remote imaging sessions or see things like host's feed of images/equipment/weather forecast/feedback/rank and etc. Please note, hosts won't have to be in that directory but still can contribute images (this is our tool indihub-agent "solo" mode).
- INDIHUB will be processing all contributed images, turning them into data and provide this data as an Open API to anyone interested. Any data set will have a trace pointing to from where that data was extracted (raw images) and how (pipeline of open sourced algorithms). We see INDIHUB as a great resource of data for Space sustainability projects like
trusat.org
. According to governance - we plan to move in direction where INDIHUB is more decentralized and governed by hosts. Potentially, by utilizing blockchain/Ethereum when INDIHUB web-portal will act as a DApp powered by "open-sensor" nature of INDIHUB (anyone can setup equipment and connect it without asking any permission or any kind of registration).
- Yes, the server side will be open-sourced. I think it has to be open sourced as there are so many ways to process images, I can't even imagine. I think both data acquisition (agent) and data processing (server side) should be open-sourced and powered by people.
Let me know if I missed anything or you have more questions!
Btw, I know about LSF and SatNOGS and have been following your project for a while - I think it is a great effort and initiative!
I think INDIHUB-network is a similar project - we are giving opportunity to contribute to everyone who has a telescope on backyard and desire to contribute.
However, while doing so, INDIHUB as a network will also provide some new astro-photography experiences so hosts can benefit - i.e.:
- remote imaging sessions, so network hosts will have more clear skies, no need to travel with equipment, ability to try other equipment without buying it
- automatic processing/stacking for image sequences
- recommendations for equipment to improve experience and image quality
- hosts will see detailed reports about how the images are used and contributed to discoveries/projects and etc.