MoonDAO Election

This August MoonDAO will hold an election for our second leader of the executive branch.

Here's what you need to know:

Candidate Announcement Deadline

If you are interested in running as a candidate for the position, you have until Thursday, July 25th to announce that you're running. Please post in the ⁠🗳│election channel that you are running to officially submit yourself in the race. Remember only people that have served on the MoonDAO Senate for two quarters (180 days) are eligible to run, and Pablo Moncada will personally confirm whether or not the person meets that eligibility criteria.

Candidate Debate on August 1st

After we have all the candidates announced on the 25th, we'll have a one week period for candidates to state their platform and vision for MoonDAO, and we'll host a debate at the townhall on August 1st.

Snapshot Vote

From there, we'll run a five day vote between the candidates to select the winner.

In summary, here are the dates to look out for:

• Thursday, July 25th: Deadline to announce your candidacy in the #election channel.
• Thursday, August 1st: Debate between candidates during our townhall.
• Monday, August 5th: Vote closes to select our next executive branch leader.

Town Hall Recap

Last week's town hall featured the announcement about the upcoming executive branch election, updates on the Q2 retroactive rewards vote and what's to come (voting has now concluded and the final calculations are being made), as well as roundtable updates from a few of our currently active projects as the beginning of the quarter kicks off.

MoonDAO at ASCEND

MoonDAO will be at this year's ASCEND conference, with Pablo participating in a panel hosted by ispace about the emotional allure of the Moon and how it can serve as a catalyst for cross-industry entry into cislunar exploration. If you'll be at ASCEND this year, be sure to link up with Pablo and say hello!

MoonDAO Treasury Stats

Our treasury is governed by the community. Become a MoonDAO member to help shape our future.

Connect with Us Join the conversation on our social channels. ​​​​​​ ​

Bite-Sized Space News

Curious Discovery on Mars

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover made a significant discovery when it drove over a small rock in Gale Crater, revealing yellow sulfur crystals inside. This finding marks the first time such crystals have been observed on Mars and is notable because the rock is composed of pure elemental sulfur, unlike the previously detected sulfur-based minerals.

This discovery surprised scientists, as sulfur forms under specific conditions not previously associated with the region Curiosity is exploring. Further investigation revealed an entire field of similar sulfur rocks, indicating a unique geological environment. Curiosity's continued exploration and drilling, particularly into a large sulfur rock named "Mammoth Lakes," aims to provide deeper insights into the region's geological history and the broader history of Mars.

New Space Documentaries

Two compelling space documentaries were released last week, offering unique insights into the rapidly evolving space industry. "Wild Wild Space," now available on HBO, tells the story of Astra, Rocket Lab, and Planet, featuring key figures who have played pivotal roles in these companies. Based on Ashlee Vance's book "When the Heavens Went on Sale," the documentary includes appearances by several individuals who have collaborated with or interacted with MoonDAO. The Wild Wild Space trailer can be viewed here.

Meanwhile, "Fortitude: Forging the Trillion Dollar Space Economy" on Apple TV delves into the New Space Age, chronicling the efforts of those who take risks, invest capital, and turn science fiction into science fact. Filmmaker Torsten Hoffmann spent three years investigating this emerging industry, which also features MoonDAO member and friend Ben Haldeman from LifeShip. Later this year, MoonDAO will by flying with LifeShip aboard Firefly's Blue Ghost lander to the surface of the Moon for our very first Moon mission, including a digital copy of our constitution and a private key. Watch the Fortitude trailer here.

Both documentaries provide captivating perspectives on the frontier of space exploration and commercialization.

Astra Goes Private

Speaking of Astra, which was prominently featured in Wild Wild Space, they have concluded their tenure as a public company by completing a privatization deal with its co-founders, Chris Kemp and Adam London, for 50 cents per share, after its shares had plummeted by over 99% since its peak following its 2021 public debut via a SPAC merger. The company, once valued in the billions, now stands at a market capitalization of about $12 million. Financial difficulties and operational setbacks, including the poor performance of its Rocket 3 vehicle, led to consideration of bankruptcy before accepting the privatization offer. Future plans remain vague, but Kemp has hinted at a renewed focus on developing Rocket 4 and hopes for more successful launches as a private entity.

Upcoming Launches

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-4 on Tue Jul 23, 2024 11:14 PM GMT-5 from SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA
• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-9 on Wed Jul 24, 2024 11:21 PM GMT-5 from LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA
• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 9-4 on Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:34 AM GMT-5 from SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA