Japanese billionaire is looking for people to go with him to the moon
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa invited the public to apply for a place on the Starship launch vehicle on his special mission around the moon.
Maezawa wants to reach a wider and more diverse audience two years after announcing that he is going with a select group of artists.
Mizawa said:
I want people from all backgrounds to join, as the total number consists of 10 to 12 people, but I am inviting 8 people to come on this trip.
Maezawa, the founder of Japan's largest online fashion retailer, is worth roughly $ 2 billion.
He was revealed as the first passenger to sign a contract with SpaceX's Starship launch vehicle in 2018 during an event with CEO (Elon Musk) Elon Musk at the company's headquarters.
During the event, Maezawa, the art collector, announced the Dear Moon Project, which aims to bring between six to eight artists from around the world to join him on a flying mission to the surface of the Moon that will take approximately six days sometime in 2023.
Mizawa said at the time:
These artists are being asked to create something after they return to Earth.
And in a new video, Mizawa said: The plan has evolved since then, adding that perhaps everyone who does a creative work can be called an artist.
Project updates have been scarce over the past two years, and in January 2020 Maezawa launched a bizarre campaign to find a female partner to accompany him on his journey around the moon.
The contest website has received 27,722 applications, and Japanese broadcast service AbemaTV is set to document the mission in a reality TV show called Full Moon Lovers.
Weeks later, the show was canceled, and Maezawa canceled his search for personal reasons, apologizing to AbemaTV's staff and all applicants.
The Starship launch vehicle represents the next generation of SpaceX's fully reusable Mars missile system designed to transport humans and up to 100 tons of cargo on future missions to deep space.
The new Maezawa announcement lacked any details on how to train the selected astronauts, but he made it clear that he would bear the price of the undisclosed ticket, saying: I pay for the entire flight, and I have bought all the seats, so it will be a private flight.
And he said:
It takes three days to reach the moon, as the Starship orbits behind it and begins its three-day journey to Earth.
Musk said:
According to the schedule, the Starship's first orbital flight could come at the end of 2021.
And last year, Musk said the Starship needed to do hundreds of missions with satellites before people could get on board.
Due to personal reasons, I have informed AbemaTV yesterday with my decision to no longer participate in the matchmaking documentary, hence requested for the cancellation of the show.
— 前澤友作┃月旅行に8名ご招待 (@yousuck2020) January 30, 2020
I understand that I have disappointed many people - the applicants and all the staff from AbemaTV who were involved in the production - and I apologize to everyone for my unfavorable actions.
— 前澤友作┃月旅行に8名ご招待 (@yousuck2020) January 30, 2020
I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart.https://t.co/UvnhXov8xB