Bitcoin literally “to the moon”

“To the moon” is one of the slogans popular among those who believe that in the future the market value of Bitcoin may explode and skyrocket.

But there is one initiative where “to the moon” in reference to Bitcoin takes on a completely different, literal meaning instead.

Bitcoin “to the moon”: what is happening?

It is an initiative of LunarCrush, i.e. a company that analyzes data and information about cryptocurrencies, NFTs and social media actions.

As the official press release published a few days ago reveals, LunarCrush wants to send a “treasure chest” of 62 Bitcoin to the Earth’s natural satellite, namely the Moon.

Right now, 62 BTC has a market cap of around $1.7 million.

The “treasure chest”, named Nakamoto_1, will be opened by the first astronaut to reach the Moon and retrieve the private wallet key engraved on a Lunar Outpost MAPP Rover that will be launched into space by the end of 2023 by a SpaceX rocket. For security reasons, the exact launch date has not yet been revealed.

When the Lunar Outpost MAPP Rover lands on the moon, anyone can go to it to read the private key engraved on it, thus unlocking the “treasure chest” of 62 Bitcoin.

This initiative is made possible through a collaboration with Lunar Outpost, which will physically take care of sending the rover to the Moon.

Lunar Outpost is a company founded in 2017 that focuses on commercial space robotics, lunar surface mobility and in situ resource exploitation. Lunar Outpost’s flagship rover is actually MAPP (Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform), which is expected to be the first commercial rover to reach the Moon’s South Pole.

The initiative also involves collaborations with animation studio Golden Wolf and Bitcoin developer tools company Hiro, which partnered with LunarCrush to bring Nakamoto_1 to life.

The assignment will be financed through the sale of a specially made collection of NFTs.

The process of engraving the private key on the rover will be fully documented, so it will be transparent and ensure that no one, including the teams working on the project, will be able to obtain it prematurely.

The NFT collection

To fund the entire initiative, LunarCrush will sell a special collection of NFTs secured by Bitcoin: 25% of the sale will go to fund the treasury and another 25% will go into a “community marketing wallet that will go to fund grassroots development on Bitcoin.

NFTs will be priced at $250 each. Any sale of these NFTs on the Gamma secondary market will further increase the value of the treasure chest sent to the Moon.

As is clear, this is an advertising initiative and those who will benefit the most will be the astronaut who can read the private key of the address where 62 BTC will be deposited on the lunar rover.

Golden Wolf CEO Ingi Erlingsson said:

Comments on the initiative

“We loved the idea that the art could inspire a new generation of young people to look to the stars, like a modern version of an Apollo 11 poster on a bedroom wall. We wanted the aesthetic to feel modern and unique, with a hint of vintage sci-fi art.”

LunarCrush CEO Joe Vezzani said:

“When you set a seemingly unattainable goal, the innovation that happens can be incredible. Our goal is to inspire people to build communities that will open up a new era of exploration. We envision that classrooms, groups, companies and even with DAOs coming together to reach the Moon and share the treasure chest’s rewards. It’s like Willy Wonka’s ‘golden ticket’ to the Web3 era, and we couldn’t be more excited to see how it all plays out.”

Lunar Outpost Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Dr. Forrest Meyen added:

“What may sound strange to some will open up new frontiers that have not been explored outside the mind for a long time. Future generations will look to us as pioneers in interplanetary exploration and adventure. As the Google Lunar XPRIZE launched the commercial lunar rover industry, we see Nakamoto_1 as an opportunity to inspire the next generation to overcome challenges in space travel and exploration. LunarCrush uses modern blockchain technology to deliver a treasure instead of organizing a prize committee. This structure encourages exploration while unlocking the best of human ingenuity. Lunar Outpost is proud to provide our first commercial lunar surface transport to innovative projects like Nakamoto_1.”