SpaceX’s first mission paid entirely with Dogecoin, DOGE-1, could lift off to the Moon in December this year. The Dogecoin-themed mission is operated by Canada-based company Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC), which aims to send a CubeSat to lunar orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket on a rideshare mission. DOGE-1 it is the first spaceflight mission in history paid with the Shiba Inu meme-inspired cryptocurrency. ĐOGE is a decentralized digital currency that uses blockchain technology that enables fast and secure transactions. GEC did not reveal how much Dogecoin it paid to secure the mission. 

The upcoming spaceflight that DOGE-1 will share ride with is Intuitive Machines' IM-1 mission, which will land a NOVA-C lander on the moon that will carry NASA payloads. DOGE-1 was previously scheduled for the first quarter of 2022, GEC's CEO Sam Reid "confirmed that DOGE-1 remains manifested as rideshare with SpaceX’s Falcon 9, but Intuitive Machines’ IM-1 lunar lander is the primary payload and dictates launch timing – hence the delay," shared space reporter Micheal Sheetz via Twitter. "An Intuitive Machines spokesperson said the company is targeting IM-1 launch by December, with a more specific window to be released three months prior to launch," he said. 

GEC paid SpaceX an undisclosed amount upfront to launch DOGE-1, bound for lunar orbit. Reid declined to provide photos, and by way of an update, emailed that “the satellite is beyond design stage.”

— Michael Sheetz (@thesheetztweetz) June 29, 2022

The DOGE-1 CubeSat that will be deployed to lunar orbit features advanced computational systems, including cameras and sensors that will obtain lunar-spatial intelligence. GEC shared last year that that the DOGE-1 mission will also include digital 'Space Art' in the form of plaques that might be secured to the CubeSat. The art plaques will be provided by Geometric Labs Corporation and Geometric Gaming Corporation. “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,” said Reid in a press release when they announced the mission in 2021. “This mission will demonstrate the application of cryptocurrency beyond Earth orbit and set the foundation for interplanetary commerce,” said SpaceX Vice President of Commercial Sales Tom Ochinero. "We're excited to launch DOGE-1 to the Moon!" 

Featured Image Source: Pexels.com / SpaceX