Digital Asset derivatives Exchange BitMEX has made a celestial move by launching Vulcan Centaur, a lunar rocket that carries a crypto wallet containing one physical Bitcoin. The rocket took off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and is scheduled to reach the Moon on February 23. Astrobotic Technology’s spacecraft Peregrine-1, a robotic company, will carry the physical Bitcoin and the accompanying space crew after separating from Vulcan Centaur.
BitMEX revealed that the physical Bitcoin is also a crypto wallet with a minimum of 1 BTC, featuring a public vanity address that allows anyone to send additional Bitcoin to the wallet during its journey to the Moon. Named the Peregrine Mission One, the venture aspires to achieve the first United States moon landing mission since Apollo 11 in 1969.
BitMEX CEO Stephan Lutz referred to the Bitcoin Moon mission as a “time capsule,” symbolizing one of the most significant human innovations and technological advancements. Lutz expressed excitement about the prospects for decentralized finance, envisioning financial systems transcending earthly boundaries and empowering individuals across the cosmos.
However, after the launch, Astrobotic reported a “critical” propellant loss from a fuel leak, leading to the abandonment of the mission to land Peregrine on the Moon. The spacecraft encountered issues with positioning itself facing the Sun, hampering its ability to charge its batteries with solar power. The team executed an improvised maneuver to reorient the solar panels toward the Sun, successfully charging the battery. Despite these challenges, the original propulsion issue still needs resolution for the spacecraft to feasibly land on the Moon, utilizing onboard thrusters with sufficient leftover propellant.
BitMEX’s lunar Bitcoin mission marks an innovative step in combining space exploration with cryptocurrency, although the success of the mission now hinges on resolving the propulsion issues affecting Peregrine’s journey to the Moon.