Smart Node v1.​16.​0 Release Announcement

Smart Node version 1.19.3 now integrates **Commit-Boost**, an open-source alternative to MEV-Boost that maintains full protocol compatibility while introducing advanced features. **Key Features:** - Fully compatible with existing MEV-Boost protocol - Enables node operators to opt into commitment systems - Supports preconfirmations for enhanced transaction guarantees This update gives Ethereum stakers more flexibility in how they participate in MEV extraction while maintaining the option to engage with newer commitment-based systems. Node operators can now choose between traditional MEV-Boost or the enhanced Commit-Boost framework.

**Smart Node v1.19.1** has been released with multiple improvements and automatically updates the delegate contract per RPIP-77. **Key Updates:** - Automatic delegate contract updates following RPIP-77 - Multiple system improvements included **Nimbus v26.2.0** is now available as a recommended manual update, released in response to the recent mainnet outage. **Action Required:** Node operators should review the changes on GitHub before installing either update.

Rocket Pool has completed all pre-launch requirements for Saturn, its largest protocol update to date. **Key Milestones Achieved:** - Security audits completed ✓ - Testnet deployment successful ✓ - Smart contracts deployed ✓ The team will host a community call on X Spaces at 10:30pm UTC to discuss the upgrade details and implementation. Saturn represents a significant evolution for the decentralized Ethereum staking protocol, following months of development and testing.

**Prysm users experiencing mainnet attestation issues** should upgrade to patch release v7.0.1, which is strongly recommended by the development team. **Key details:** - Addresses ongoing attestation problems on mainnet - Available now for immediate download - Full documentation in Rocket Pool Discord **Before updating:** - Always verify patch details on GitHub - Double-check compatibility with your setup - Review release notes thoroughly This follows previous network upgrades including Smart Node v1.15.5 for the Pectra hard fork.

Rocket Pool node operators can vote on three governance proposals: **RPIP-74**: Temporarily close minipool queue six weeks before Saturn 1 launch to redirect resources toward megapools **RPIP-75**: Adjust express ticket allocation by removing unconditionally provisioned tickets to speed up the express queue **RPIP-76**: Reduce Grants and Bounties Management Committee from nine to seven members All proposals are live on [Rocket Pool's governance platform](https://vote.rocketpool.net) with detailed specifications available in their respective RPIPs.