SpaceX breaks records and sends meme-inspired crypto into space

Elon Musk has announced a “DOGE-1 Mission to the Moon” shortly after SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites in record 10th liftoff (and landing) of a reused rocket. 

Elon Musk continued to break records and trends as he announced two new firsts for his Aerospace company, SpaceX. Firstly, SpaceX has launched another 60 Starlink Satellites, adding to the 120 already delivered into orbit in the last 14 days, breaking a new record for the Falcon 9’s reusability. Secondly: Musk has announced that SpaceX will accept full payment for the lunar payload in the form of the controversial, meme-inspired cryptocurrency, Dogecoin. 

The Falcon 9 could fly 100+ times

This launch, which took place at 2:42 AM EDT, marks a record 10th flight for the rocket booster. Flying from Cape Canaveral in Florida, the booster was also successfully returned to its drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Given this,  Musk has said it could be “possible” for a Falcon 9 booster to fly “100+” times with servicing and component replacement. SpaceX already has another Starlink launch planned for May 15th 2021. 

SpaceX will send cryptocurrency memes into space

Musk has also announced that SpaceX will accept meme-inspired cryptocurrency via a tweet, Dogecoin. The “DOGE-1 Mission to the Moon” will occur in the first quarter of 2022, with SpaceX accepting the meme-inspired cryptocurrency as payment.

SpaceX vice president of commercial sales Tom Ochinero said in a statement that DOGE-1 “will demonstrate the application of cryptocurrency beyond Earth orbit and set the foundation for interplanetary commerce.” 

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DOGE-1 is set to fly a 40-kilogram cube satellite as a payload on a Falcon 9 rocket. The Geometric Energy Corporation announced that its payload would “obtain lunar-spatial intelligence from sensors and cameras on-board with integrated communications and computational systems.”

“We’re excited to launch DOGE-1 to the Moon!” Ochinero said.

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Amber Donovan-Stevens

Amber is a Content Editor at Top Business Tech

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