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SpaceX Will Send Japanese Billionaire Yusaku Maezawa Around the Moon (theverge.com)
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk revealed on Monday the identity of the passenger signed to visit the moon, set to launch on the company's Big Falcon Rocket (BFR) vehicle: Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. Mr. Maezawa, 42, is the founder of Japan's Start Today, which operates largest online clothing retailer site in the country Zozotown and Wear. The Verge adds: Maezawa, who is 42, reportedly has a real time net worth of $2.9 billion, according to Forbes. He is also an avid art collector, and spent $110.5 million on a 1982 painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat called "Untitled" last year. "Finally, I can tell you that I choose to go to the Moon!" Maezawa said at a SpaceX event, announcing his trip. This isn't the first time that SpaceX has announced it plans to send a paying customer to the Moon on one of its vehicles. In February 2017, Musk proclaimed that two individuals had each put down a "significant deposit" to fly around the Moon on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, a larger version of the Falcon 9. No details about the passengers were given, though Musk said it was "nobody from Hollywood." The flight was slated to occur before the end of this year. "Ever since I was a kid, I have loved the moon," Maezawa said in a website that his team and SpaceX created for this expedition. "This is a project that I designed and made: #dearMoon," He added, noting that it will be launched in 2023. "I choose to go to the moon with artists. In 2023, as the host, I would like to invite 6 to 8 artists from around the world to join me on this mission to the Moon." He said going to the moon can contribute to "world peace."
Mr. Musk said SpaceX's first orbital flight could be in 2-3 years, and then it would test flights without a passenger around the moon. He added, however, that as far as the proposed 2023 deadline is concerned to get the first paying passenger on the moon, he is "definitely not sure about it," as there could be some delays because of the uncertainties and complexities.
Mr. Musk said SpaceX's first orbital flight could be in 2-3 years, and then it would test flights without a passenger around the moon. He added, however, that as far as the proposed 2023 deadline is concerned to get the first paying passenger on the moon, he is "definitely not sure about it," as there could be some delays because of the uncertainties and complexities.
I hope this flight goes off without a hitch. My hat's off to Maezawa, Musk, and everyone involved in the project.
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
I find his idea vacuous. But, so long as he helps fund the development of BFR / BFS, I don't care if his mission for buying the first flight was for the opportunity to juggle goslings in microgravity by bouncing them off the walls. A paying customer is a paying customer.
"Who the hell is Nietzche? It's a question stupid people are asking." -- Newscaster, "Jesus Christ Supercop"
On care anyone is curious what a $110 million painting looks like:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/0...
That's one of the most expensive paintings ever auctioned. The artist died of a drug overdose at the age of 27.
"You'll never get a rocket to orbit"
Musk: gets rocket to orbit.
"Well you'll never be able to land it"
Musk: Lands rocket. Makes it routine.
"But you'll never be able to refly it!"
Musk: reflies rockets routinely.
"But it'll take a year of refurb each time!"
Musk: gets refurb to under 4 weeks, targeting 24 hours.
"Yeah but it'll never save money"
Musk: reduces launch costs to lowest in industry on re-flow rockets.
"OK but you'll never make the BFR!"
Musk: hold my beer.
They're just using what was already there (and paid for by my tax dollars, yet again).
Bezos' Blue Origin has only taken small amounts (in government terms) of tax payer funding. They're basically self-funded by Bezos himself.
And SpaceX is saving the government a lot of money. NASA estimated that SpaceX development of the Falcon 9 at a cost of $390M would have cost $3-4B by traditional means (source). All of the launch providers (ULA, Arianespace, the Russians) are scrambling to get their costs down, lest they lose their place in the market.
The heaviest rocket system in the world, not in history. The Saturn V, for all its merit, is not a current player.
If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
Saturn V is the heaviest rocket system in the world in the same way that Rome is the largest city. I mean, it USED to be, right?
Ezekiel 23:20
Really? I find it pretty inspiring, at least to the extent that space tourism can be. The guy is bringing others with him, for one, which is a first among billionaire space tourists. He's also not just bringing buddies - he's essentially commissioning artists to create (presumably public) works based on their experience of seeing the moon, which is a tangible and accessible way of giving something back to a broader community.
Finally, there is a bit of a historical homage to this flight - it mirrors Apollo 8 in the overall mission profile, which was the first time any humans had seen the far side of the moon. If I remember correctly, upon seeing the moon close up, Jim Lovell commented that he wished they had a poet aboard who could properly articulate the sense of awe and wonder of the experience - as it was, it was left to some no-nonsense test pilots to try to inspire a global audience via grainy TV broadcast.
Anyhow, this is a PR stunt, certainly, but it seems to be a thoughtful one.