DOGE-1: the lunar mission paid in Dogecoin

In May 2021 a Canadian company, Geometric Energy Corporation, announced a small lunar satellite called DOGE-1. Its most unusual feature was not technical: the launch was reported to be paid for entirely in Dogecoin.

The plan

DOGE-1 was described as a CubeSat-class payload of around 40 kg that would ride to the Moon as a secondary payload on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare. Once there it was meant to collect data with onboard sensors and cameras, and to display content on a small screen.

Why it got attention

it was presented as one of the first space missions paid for in crypto;
it came at the peak of Dogecoin's popularity on social media;
the slogan of a “doge on the Moon” turned a meme into a headline.

Delays

Like many secondary payloads, DOGE-1 depended on the schedule of other missions and was repeatedly delayed. Space launches are complex, and small payloads are often the first to move to a later flight.

The name game

The mission's fame inspired many unrelated tokens using the “DOGE-1” name. Sharing a name with a space mission does not connect a token to the mission or its team.

Educational content. Not investment advice.