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The DOGE-1 mission launched on September 14 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the first space mission funded entirely with Dogecoin. However, DOGE traded near USD 0.08 as wider crypto selling weighed on the market.
DOGE-1 is a 40-kilogram satellite built by Geometric Energy Corporation. It will fly as a rideshare payload aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and orbit the Moon. The satellite will capture lunar surface images and collect sensor data. It will also display logos and digital art on a small onboard screen and beam those images back to Earth.
The project dates back to 2021, when SpaceX agreed to accept Dogecoin as payment. Since then, the mission has faced repeated delays over the past two years.
Elon Musk also has a long history with Dogecoin. In April 2019, his post calling DOGE his favorite cryptocurrency preceded a rise from USD 0.0025 to USD 0.0040 within days.
The latest DOGE move contrasts with the attention surrounding the mission. Dogecoin traded near USD 0.08 and fell about 7.4% over the week, with market capitalization near USD 12.5 billion.
Over 24 hours, DOGE dropped 4.69% to USD 0.0784. During the September 15 session, it opened near USD 0.0836, touched USD 0.0784, and closed around USD 0.0800. On September 16, DOGE remained around USD 0.079 to USD 0.080, close to the previous session's low. Meanwhile, Bitcoin fell below USD 76,000 as broader risk appetite weakened.
US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded about USD 450.33 million in net outflows on September 15. The total marked the largest daily outflow since June 25. At the same time, the US Senate failed to advance the CLARITY Act in a 49-50 vote. The broader market decline also pulled major altcoins lower, while DOGE posted a sharper drop.
Also Read: Dogecoin Eyes Parabolic Rally as Whales Add 430M DOGE in Week
Dogecoin has reacted strongly around Musk-linked events before. In May 2021, DOGE peaked near USD 0.7316 around Musk's Saturday Night Live appearance, when he called the token ‘a hustle.’
The price has not returned to that level. DOGE-1 differs from earlier Musk-related catalysts because it involves a scheduled space mission rather than a social media post or television appearance.
MCO Global, posting as @moretradingonl, takes a cautious technical view. His chart identifies USD 0.173 as the level DOGE must reclaim before the latest recovery differs from previous temporary rallies.
That threshold remains far above the recent price near USD 0.08. A rise from USD 0.0784 to USD 0.173 would require an increase of nearly 120%. With DOGE still trading near its recent low, one pivotal question remains: Can the DOGE-1 mission change momentum while broader crypto markets stay under pressure?
DOGE-1 gives Dogecoin a rare real-world milestone, but the token remains under pressure near USD 0.08. Broader crypto weakness, Bitcoin ETF outflows, and the failed CLARITY Act vote have weighed on sentiment, while analysts continue watching USD 0.173 as the key recovery level.
