Japanese billionaire to be first space tourist on SpaceX lunar flight
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa will be the first space tourist for the first private moon mission on SpaceX.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk announced the Japanese fashion magnate as the first private passenger for a lunar orbit tentatively planned for 2023.
He will blast off in SpaceX’s Big Falcon rocket ship.
The BFR will conduct the first orbital flights in about two years, and Musk has said the ultimate aim is to send people to Mars.
However even the lunar mission is not a foregone conclusion.
"It’s not 100 percent we can bring this to flight," Musk said.
"If I had a crystal ball I’d love to know how long things will take."
He did not disclose how much the flamboyant billionaire is paying for the trip but a hefty deposit has been paid that will fund part of the development.
Musk says the total development cost of BFR is roughly $5 billion.
Art collector Maezawa plans to invite six to eight artists to join him on the lunar orbit.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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