SpaceX Announces Full Crew for Privately Funded Moon Mission

Dodd, Aoki, and Maezawa will be joined by Rhiannon Adam, a Czech multidisciplinary artist, and Karim Iliya, a photographer from Ireland. Also, Dev Joshi, an Indian actor, and Brendan Hall, whose documentary filmmaker Brendan Hall, and Choi Seung Hyun (who goes by the stage name T.O.P.

Aoki stated in a video that “I cannot miss this chance,” and “My soul is begging for this.”

Also selected was a backup crew consisting of Kaitlyn Farrington, a US Olympic snowboarder, and Miyu, a Japanese dancer.

Dear Moon advertises that it will launch in 2023. However, SpaceX’s new rocket-and-spacecraft system, also known as Starship has yet to fly its first orbital test flight.

Maezawa has stated that he will not charge his passengers for the trip and is willing to pay an undisclosed amount.

Two main criteria were used to select Maezawa’s fellow passengers. The mission’s webpage stated that applicants should strive to “push boundaries” in their fields of work by going into space to help “other people and greater society in any way.” They should also be open to supporting their fellow crew members throughout the journey.

Maezawa also stated that he had previously said that he would use a dating site to find a “life partner” who would accompany him on his journey. He later canceled those plans saying that he was having mixed feelings about the idea of participating.

Maezawa’s first space trip was made in December 2021, when the Dear Moon mission was announced. He took a 12-day, self-funded journey to the International Space Station. The Russian Soyuz spacecraft was used for the December 2021 trip.

Starship is still in development

SpaceX’s huge Starship rocket remains in development at its testing facilities in South Texas. Although a few prototypes have been tested, some have only flown for a short distance above Earth. However, the company has yet to test Super Heavy, a massive, 230-foot (69m) rocket booster that will propel the 164-foot (50m) Starship spacecraft into orbit. Elon Musk, a SpaceX CEO, has stated for months that the company will be ready to conduct the test shortly. However federal regulators are still waiting for the license.

Musk previously stated that he expected Starship to be flying regularly by 2023. However, it is not certain if SpaceX will meet that deadline. It is not uncommon for aerospace projects to take longer than expected and cost more money.

If Starship’s early test flights are successful, and the Dear Moon mission gets off the ground successfully, Maezawa’s crew may be the first private citizen to explore beyond low-Earth orbit.

It is expected that the six-day mission will spend three days at its destination before returning to Earth.