BitMEX has announced the launch of its Vulcan Rocket space mission which is taking a Bitcoin to the moon just as the Dogecoin community anticipates its own space expedition.
The phrase ‘To The Moon’ is quite popular in the crypto industry and is essentially a rallying cry for crypto lovers at this point. Now, several companies in the sector are taking the phrase literally as they ambitiously pursue space travel. Currently, both BitMEX and Dogecoin are embarking on space missions that will be supported by or seek to put crypto on the moon.
Taking this shit to the next level. https://t.co/LJMnHPk0Ef
— Arthur Hayes (@CryptoHayes) January 8, 2024
Crypto’s Journey to the Moon
On January 8, 2024, BitMEX confirmed the launch of its Vulcan Rocket space mission which is taking off to the moon. This mission was done in partnership with ULA, a top space firm, as well as Bitcoin Magazine, Astrobotic, and Oxcart Assembly. The launch took off in the early hours from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
The Vulcan Rocket is also attached to the commercial lunar lander the Peregrine-1, which will embark on a 7-week journey once it reaches orbit. Its entire journey will be live-streamed by NASA and by the end of February 2024, it is expected to reach the moon. While a spacecraft partially funded by a crypto company would be impressive in itself, it is made even more impressive by the fact that there is a Bitcoin on board the Peregrine-1.
The physical Bitcoin representation weighs about 43g and on it is engraved a public address and private keys. Seeing as the Peregrine-1 will remain on the surface of the moon, Bitcoin will be making its market permanently in space. Anyone, humans or aliens, who find themselves on the surface of the moon can interact with it. And those of us here on earth will also be able to send Bitcoin to the wallet if they want to take part in history. Going to the stars has always been a notable endeavour for humans and now, Bitcoin and the crypto world at large are getting in on the action.
As BitMEX co-founder Samuel Reed said, this is “fostering a future where cryptocurrency and space exploration go hand in hand, paving the way to explore uncharted territories and fuel the evolution of Bitcoin beyond Earth.”
And BitMEX is not alone in its space endeavours. The Dogecoin community has ambitions of its own with the DOGE-1 satellite which has been developed by the Geometric Energy Corporation, a space technology firm. The plan is for the DOGE-1 to be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It will also have a screen that will display logos and ads while it is moon-bound.
It was first announced in 2021 by Elon Musk but has faced a few roadblocks. Initially set to take off in 2022, it is now eyeing a 2024 date. And on a more positive note, it has gotten approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
