SpaceX, the pioneer of private space agencies founded by Elon Musk, announced that it will cooperate with the American Geometry Energy Corporation (GEC) to launch the DOGE-1 lunar mission. The purpose of the mission is to deliver commercial payloads to the moon, paid for in full using Dogecoin. Dogecoin is a meme coin popularized by Musk himself.
DOGE-1 to The Moon
Spacex, the innovative space exploration company that has been a pioneer in commercial spaceflight and in its plans for a planned trip to Mars, has announced today a new mission called DOGE-1 in partnership with Geometric Energy Corporation, a renewable energy-based firm.
According to a PR statement, the first objective of the mission will be to put a commercial payload on the moon. But what’s particular about this mission is that it was paid entirely on Dogecoin, the memecoin that has been adopted by several influencers after being popularized by Spacex CEO himself, Elon Musk.
Being the first commercial mission of this kind paid with cryptocurrency, DOGE-1 sets a precedent for payments in this aerospatial age, putting Dogecoin in a really special place amongst other cryptocurrencies. Tom Ochinero, Spacex Vice President of Commercial Sales, stressed that :
This mission will demonstrate the application of cryptocurrency beyond Earth orbit and set the foundation for interplanetary commerce. We’re excited to launch DOGE-1 to the Moon!
The DOGE-1 payload consists of a 40Kg CubeSat that will deliver lunar data with integrated sensors, and banking-based payment solutions would not have been too much of a hassle to pay for the mission. GEC’s CEO Samuel Reid touched on this subject and stated that:
Having officially transacted with DOGE for a deal of this magnitude, Geometric Energy Corporation and Spacex have solidified DOGE as a unit of account for lunar business in the space sector
Musk Couldn’t Take Dogecoin to the Moon
However, this news contrasts heavily with what Dogecoin experienced yesterday in terms of price action. While most Dogecoin investors were expecting price rises due to the long-expected appearance of Elon Musk (called the Dogefather in social media circles) in Saturday Night Live yesterday, the opposite just happened.
Musk appeared in a news skit as a cryptocurrency expert who failed to explain what Dogecoin, calling it a “hustle,” while telling it would go to the moon. This didn’t do anything good for prices that stumbled going from $0.65 pre-show to $0.43 after the show, causing panic in social media.