• Cryptocurrency
  • Earnings
  • Enterprise
  • About TechBooky
  • Submit Article
  • Advertise Here
  • Contact Us
TechBooky
  • African
  • AI
  • Metaverse
  • Gadgets
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
  • African
  • AI
  • Metaverse
  • Gadgets
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
TechBooky
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Home Transport

SpaceX: Japanese Billionaire To Be First “Private Passenger” On Moon Mission

Theresa Casimir by Theresa Casimir
September 18, 2018
in Transport
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Space Exploration Technologies Corp popularly known as SpaceX, is a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services. Its headquarters located in Hawthorne, California. Founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars.

Yesterday, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gave an update on the design of SpaceX’s future massive rocket, the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), during an event announcing the first passenger who will fly on the vehicle—Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, a 42-year-old Japanese billionaire and founder of online fashion mall Zozotown, signed with SpaceX to fly around the moon on the company’s next generation rocket.

Maezawa will attempt to be the first to return to the moon in nearly half a century, launching aboard a Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), which SpaceX is developing. BFR is the flagship for Musk’s vision of creating a permanent, self-sustaining human presence on Mars, and testing on the behemoth rocket is expected to begin next year.

“Ever since I was a kid, I have loved the moon,” said Yusaku Maezawa, founder of ZoZotown, one of Japan’s largest retail websites. “Just staring at the moon filled my imagination. That is why I could not pass up this opportunity to see the moon up close.”

“I did not want to have such a fantastic experience by myself. That would be a little lonely. I don’t like being alone, so I want to share this experiences with as many people as possible. That is why I choose to go to the moon with artists! I choose to invite artists from around the world on my journey.”

“I could not pass up this opportunity to see the moon up close,” Maezawa said. He revealed he purchased all available seats for the BFR lunar mission and plans to invite six to eight artists from around the world to go with him. The mission isn’t scheduled to launch until 2023.

“In 2023 as the host, I would like to invite six to eight artists from around the world to join me on this mission to the moon,” he said. “These artists will be asked to create something after they return to Earth. And these masterpieces will inspire the dreamer within all of us.

The two-stage rocket is 387 feet long. The first stage is powered by 31 advanced Raptor engines burning liquid oxygen and methane. The winged upper stage is 180 feet long, features more than 1,000 cubic meters of pressurized volume and is powered by seven Raptor engines.

Image: SpaceX

Two of its three tail fins will change position during atmospheric entry to control the spacecraft’s orientation, descent rate and trajectory before assuming a nose-up, vertical position and landing upright on its three fins.

“This is dangerous,” Musk said. “This is no walk in the park here. When you’re pushing the frontier, it’s not a sure thing. It’s not like taking an air flight somewhere. There’s some chance something could go wrong (but) we’ll do everything we can to minimise that.”

“It’s going to be very important to test this vehicle thoroughly before putting people on board,” Musk said. “But I can’t wait, I’m super fired up about this. It’s amazing.”

“A person who booked an entire BFR for the planned moon flight, is “a very brave person to do this.”Musk added. 

SpaceX founder and chief designer Elon Musk would not disclose how much Maezawa is paying for the trip, but said it was a “non-trivial” amount that will help fund the company’s new BFR rocket, a huge, futuristic looking finned spacecraft designed to eventually accommodate up to 100 passengers on flights to the moon, Mars or beyond.

Related Posts:

  • Illustration shows SpaceX logo and Elon Musk photo
    Elon Musk's SpaceX Is Raising $750 Million In A New…
  • space-jeff-richard-960×450
    Space Travel In 2021: Bezos, Branson, And The Future…
  • es-052418-elon-musk-is-on-twitter-1527189506
    Elon Musk Will Step Down As Twitter And SpaceX CEO…
  • im-59472326
    Starlink Wins $2.4B Contract to Upgrade Air Traffic…
  • Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellite Internet Service Finally Debuts In Nigeria.
    Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellite Internet Service…
  • Twitter Undergoes Rebranding, Officially Changes Its…
  • Twitter Shares Fall 18 Percent After Elon Musk Said…
  • Starlink
    Starlink's Rapid Rise to 4 Million Subscribers

Discover more from TechBooky

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Tags: elon muskfalcon heavymoonsciencespacespace explorationspace travelspacextransportYusaku Maezawa
Theresa Casimir

Theresa Casimir

New at TechBooky, write on important tech stuff from around the world

BROWSE BY CATEGORIES

Select Category

    Receive top tech news directly in your inbox

    subscription from
    Loading

    Freshly Squeezed

    • Tech Hype vs. Reality – When Big Tech Missed the Mark Pt. 1 May 9, 2025
    • Top 10 Fee-Free Fintech Apps Nigerians Are Turning To After CBN’s New Charges May 8, 2025
    • Airtel Launches Mobile Money in 2026 to Rival M-Pesa & MoMo May 8, 2025
    • Nigeria Hits 172M Mobile Subscriptions; MTN Tops 90M Barrier May 8, 2025
    • WhatsApp Developing AI Chat Wallpapers & Message Summaries May 8, 2025
    • Bill Gates to Wind Down Foundation by 2045, Slams Elon Musk Over USAID Cuts May 8, 2025

    Browse Archives

    May 2025
    MTWTFSS
     1234
    567891011
    12131415161718
    19202122232425
    262728293031 
    « Apr    

    Popular Tags

    africa (135) AI (497) android (367) app (717) Apple (576) artificial intelligence (419) business (482) china (132) cryptocurrency (209) ecommerce (122) enterprise (287) facebook (507) fintech (244) funding (121) gadget (558) gaming (201) google (709) government (469) instagram (173) internet (466) ios (291) iphone (246) meta (116) microsoft (369) mobile (352) new feature (384) nigeria (440) privacy (158) research (140) samsung (185) security (421) smartphone (277) social media (835) software (509) startup (419) streaming (174) telecom (242) tips (372) twitter (289) united states (216) users (158) videos (127) website (173) whatsapp (201) youtube (138)

    Quick Links

    • About TechBooky
    • Advertise Here
    • Contact us
    • Submit Article
    • Privacy Policy

    About Us

    TechBooky

    TechBooky is a social Tech blog with a special focus on the budding African Technology sector. TechBooky is currently based in Abuja, Nigeria.

    Recent News

    Tech Hype vs. Reality – When Big Tech Missed the Mark Pt. 1

    Tech Hype vs. Reality – When Big Tech Missed the Mark Pt. 1

    May 9, 2025
    Top 10 Fee-Free Fintech Apps Nigerians Are Turning To After CBN’s New Charges

    Top 10 Fee-Free Fintech Apps Nigerians Are Turning To After CBN’s New Charges

    May 8, 2025
    Airtel Launches Mobile Money in 2026 to Rival M-Pesa & MoMo

    Airtel Launches Mobile Money in 2026 to Rival M-Pesa & MoMo

    May 8, 2025
    MTN Recovers ₦32 Billion in USSD Fees

    Nigeria Hits 172M Mobile Subscriptions; MTN Tops 90M Barrier

    May 8, 2025
    WhatsApp Developing AI Chat Wallpapers & Message Summaries

    WhatsApp Developing AI Chat Wallpapers & Message Summaries

    May 8, 2025
    Bill Gates to Wind Down Foundation by 2045, Slams Elon Musk Over USAID Cuts

    Bill Gates to Wind Down Foundation by 2045, Slams Elon Musk Over USAID Cuts

    May 8, 2025
    • Login

    © 2021 Design By Tech Booky Elite

    Generic selectors
    Exact matches only
    Search in title
    Search in content
    Post Type Selectors
    • African
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Gadgets
    • Metaverse
    • Tips
    • About TechBooky
    • Advertise Here
    • Submit Article
    • Contact us

    © 2021 Design By Tech Booky Elite

    Discover more from TechBooky

    Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

    Continue reading

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok