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Dogecoin was started as a joke in 2013.
  • A physical dogecoin token is due to take a trip to the moon aboard Astrobotic's Peregrine Mission One.
  • The lunar lander will be launched by a ULA rocket scheduled to take off next month. 
  • Dogecoin initially jumped 12% following the news but later pared back gains.

The latest move for dogecoin? Going lunar.

Next month, Pittsburgh-based space robotics company Astrobotic is planning to send a physical DOGE token to the moon. Literally.

Funded in part by dogecoins, the token will travel aboard Astrobotic's Peregrine Mission One lunar lander, which will carry payloads from governments, companies, universities, and NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.

Also among the cargoes is the DHL Moonbox, which is a box of mementos that will contain the physical dogecoin as well. 

The mission is due to take off on December 23 aboard United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur Rocket.

While plans of the mission had been in the works, the dogecoin community confirmed the update on Thursday through a post on X.

 

Dogecoin surged as much as 12% following the update, but the hype has more or less fizzled out — the memecoin is currently trading at $0.08, up 4.51% for the day.

In addition to the physical dogecoin, the DHL Moonbox will also carry a physical bitcoin to the moon.

"Astrobotic is truly opening the door to the next phase of space science, exploration, and commerce on the Moon," an informational packet published by the company said.

The moon has attracted other dogecoin-related endeavors as well. In 2021, Elon Musk announced that SpaceX was going to launch a Doge-1 satellite to the moon, fully funded by dogecoins. 

Read the original article on Business Insider