The space company will collaborate with Geometric Space on the mission to be paid entirely with Dogecoin

Geometric Energy Corporation-Geometric Energy to Launch Aboard F

SpaceX is collaborating with Geometric Space for the DOGE-1 Mission to the Moon. (Credit: CNW Group/Geometric Energy Corporation)

Elon Musk announced that SpaceX will launch the DOGE-1 Mission to the Moon in the first quarter of 2022 with dogecoin (doge) as the payment mode for getting onboard the commercial lunar payload.

Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency, which was introduced by Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer in late 2013.

SpaceX commercial sales vice president Tom Ochinero said: “This mission will demonstrate the application of cryptocurrency beyond Earth orbit and set the foundation for interplanetary commerce.”

The DOGE-1 Mission to the Moon will launch aboard a Falcon 9 rocket in partnership with Canadian firm Geometric Energy’s subsidiary Geometric Space Corporation (GSC).

The partners plan to launch a 40kg cubesat as a rideshare on a Falcon 9 rocket.

According to Geometric Energy, the payload will gather lunar-spatial intelligence from sensors and cameras onboard with integrated computational and communications systems.

Geometric Energy CEO Samuel Reid said: “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.”

SpaceX and Geometric Energy have selected Dogecoin as the unit of account for all lunar business between them. The cryptocurrency sets an example for future missions to both the Moon and Mars, said Geometric Energy.

For the software and hardware design for the DOGE-1 Mission to the Moon, Geometric will collaborate with POINTBLANK, Mimir Solutions, and Iteration Syndicate (ITS).

The company said that additional payload space on the cubesat will be allocated for including digital art in the form of space plaques supplied by GeometricLabs and Geometric Gaming.

SpaceX’s missions are backed by recent equity financing of nearly $1.16bn. Founded in 2002, the company has been aiming to take private passengers to both Earth and Lunar orbit.