This was an unprecedented mission, aiming to send the world’s first financial asset, Bitcoin, into space. The crypto wallet included a public address and private key, with the block featuring text from the genesis block, paying homage to the enigmatic creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. The ambitious endeavor was organized by the BitMEX exchange.
Unfortunately, the problems for the Peregrine module started almost immediately after takeoff. In the early stages of the flight, the module struggled to maintain its orientation towards the Sun, which was crucial for charging its on-board batteries. Engineers then detected a fuel leak in the propulsion system, causing the module to consume more energy to maintain the required direction. Consequently, fuel reserves were rapidly depleted. Engineers estimated that the Peregrine engines would likely operate for no more than 40 hours.
“Our current objective is for Peregrine to get as close to the Moon as possible, maintaining its current orientation in space towards the Sun. We are continuously working to prolong the module’s lifespan,” stated representatives from Astrobotic Technology.
Despite the setbacks, there is still a glimmer of hope for sending cryptocurrency to Earth’s satellite. In late November, the Dogecoin community-funded mission received approval from the US National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to proceed with its lunar journey. The DOGE-1 spacecraft is set to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
In April, LunarCrush, a cryptocurrency company, announced its plan to employ a SpaceX rocket to send a private key to a cryptocurrency wallet containing 62 BTC to the Moon. Dubbed the “Bitcoin Treasure” under the codename Nakamoto-1, the private key will be entrusted to the first person to set foot on the Moon. It will be engraved on the Lunar Outpost MAPP rover.