Bitcoin (BTC) is on the way to the moon — literally. Riding along with astronauts, a crypto wallet containing 1 BTC is onboard the lunar rocket Vulcan Centaur. The space vehicle launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and is set to reach its destination, the moon, by mid-February.
HAPPENING NOW: Our $BTC is off to the Moon on board @ulalaunch’s #VulcanRocket
— BitMEX (@BitMEX) January 8, 2024
Watch the launch live on our Twitch here https://t.co/pX7SSoyXC5#MoonBTC #BitcoinToTheMoon #BitMEX pic.twitter.com/bdr8sv56vO
Crypto derivatives exchange BitMEX arranged the trip for a physical Bitcoin to land on the moon. The exchange announced BTC’s voyage to space on May 18, 2023, highlighting that the physical BTC is also a crypto wallet containing at least 1 BTC.
The exchange highlighted that the Bitcoin wallet will have a public vanity address, allowing the public to send some extra Bitcoin and witness its redemption once someone can pick it up. BitMEX wrote:
“The coin will be a registered payload on the Peregrine-1 manifest, and will remain in situ on the Moon’s surface until any enterprising soul goes to collect it.”
After separating from the rocket, the physical coin and the space crew are now being carried by the robotic company Astrobotic Technology’s spacecraft Peregrine-1. If everything goes as scheduled, the space vehicle will land on the moon on Feb. 23.
The Peregrine Mission One — named after one of the fastest animals on Earth — is the first United States moon landing mission since its Apollo program, which landed the first humans on the moon in 1969.
In a press release, BitMEX CEO Stephan Lutz said that while the mission is a momentous achievement in space exploration, it also represents the first step of creating a monetary system for a space economy.
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Lutz explained that the Bitcoin on the moon is a “time capsule” that captures one of the most significant innovations in human history. “I’m excited to see what lies ahead for decentralized finance where financial systems transcend earthly boundaries and empower individuals across the cosmos.”
BitMEX’s attempt to send Bitcoin into space capitalizes on the phrase “to the moon,” which is popular among crypto users. Traders and enthusiasts often use it to express their desire for a bullish momentum for their crypto tokens.
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