New York (CNN Business) SpaceX is claiming it will accept dogecoin — the somewhat satirical but popular cryptocurrency — as payment for an upcoming mission. A Canadian company called the Geometric Energy Corporation confirmed that it will pay SpaceX solely in dogecoin in order to secure a spot for an 88-pound satellite on a mission, called Doge-1, slated to take off in early 2022. "This is not a joke," Geometric Energy Corporation CEO Samuel Reid said via phone. Still, dogecoin has been propelled into one of the most popular cryptocurrencies on the market, and it counts SpaceX CEO Elon Musk as one of its most vehement and popular supporters. The announcement that Musk's space company would accept dogecoin as payment came the day after the CEO's appearance on "Saturday Night Live" appeared to trigger a sell-off of the currency.

Source: CNN May 10, 2021 16:07 UTC