Elon Musk Announces 'First Meme in Space' With Dogecoin-Funded Moon Mission

News of the Doge-1 mission arrived one day after Musk's controversy-inspiring 'SNL' hosting stint. Per Musk, this mission marks the "first meme" in space."

May 10, 2021

Elon Musk, fresh off his preceded-by-controversy SNL appearance, has announced a new SpaceX mission that will be “paid for in Doge.”

The Doge-1 satellite to the Moon will be launched next year, marking—according to Musk—both the first crypto and “first meme” in space.

“This mission will demonstrate the application of cryptocurrency beyond Earth orbit and set the foundation for interplanetary commerce,” SpaceX’s VP of Commercial Sales, Tom Ochinero, said in a press release on Sunday. “We’re excited to launch DOGE-1 to the Moon!”

Geometric Energy Corporation’s Doge-1 moon project will see the mission management team—from the Geometric Space Corporation facet of the renewable energy-focused logistics firm—working in collaboration with SpaceX on the launch of a 40kg cubeseat “as a rideshare on a Falcon 9 lunar payload mission” in the first quarter of 2022.

The payload, per a press release, will obtain lunar-spatial intelligence from sensors and cameras.

“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,” Geometric Energy Corporation’s CEO Samuel Reid said Sunday.

Elsewhere in this weekend’s press release, a rep for Geometric Energy said the decision to select Doge as the unit for lunar projects from themselves and SpaceX “sets precedent” for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Many eyes were on Dogecoin in recent days surrounding Musk’s aforementioned SNL hosting stint. During one “Weekend Update”-housed sketch, Musk appeared as a “financial expert” and “Dogefather” by the name of Lloyd Ostertag, notably discussing cryptocurrency while in character. At one point in the sketch, Colin Jost and Michael Che repeatedly asked Musk’s character to define Dogecoin, eventually asking him if it was a “hustle” of sorts.

“I keep telling you, it’s a cryptocurrency you can trade for conventional money. … Yeah, it’s a hustle,” Musk’s character said before signing off with “to the moon!”