How would you like to join SpaceX and a group of fun artists on a trip around the #dearMoon?
Seriously, as a child and even an adult, who hasn’t daydreamed about taking a trip around the moon and back? Our team here at GalacticSpaceX sure has!
Well, recent announcements have indicated that the first recreational civilian flight to the moon and back will happen in 2023. And yes, someone already purchased all the seats on Starship’s first flight.
Launch of the #dearMoon Project
The #dearMoon project was unveiled in the fall of 2018. The project is a lunar tourism mission combined with an art project. The genius behind the #dearMoon project is Japanese billionaire Yudaka Maezawa. He wants to take several of today’s top artists along on a private spaceflight that will make one circumlunar trip around the moon. They will use a SpaceX Starship for the mission.
SpaceX and Commercial, Private Trips Around the Moon
Like many people, Maezawa has wanted to take a trip to the moon for a long time, and desired for it to be opened up commercially for those who would like to go. In 2017, he had contracted with SpaceX for taking a flight by the moon in a Dragon 2 spacecraft. It was much smaller and would only be able to accommodate two passengers. However, in early 2018, it was shelved due to the switch to the Starship which is still in development. Of course, the Starship will need to be tested thoroughly after construction has been completed – and this is happening very, very fast. It will also have to complete an unmanned circumlunar test flight before the project can officially launch and take Maezawa and his guests to the moon. This will be a very exciting SpaceX and #dearMoon announcement soon.
In 2018, it was announced that Maezawa would be the first private passenger to travel into space. However, instead of buying just a single seat on the Starship, he bought all of the seats! He then unveiled his plan for #dearMoon. A plan that involves taking a group of today’s top creatives and giving them the opportunity to go along for the ride.
Maezawa’s idea was to give these artists a new perspective on our world. The hope is that the artist passengers will be inspired to create new art.
Sometime after the return to earth, the new art will be presented and revealed. Maezawa’s idea is that art helps unite us and hopefully the inspired creations will help promote peace around the globe.
The Man and the Mission
The proposed launch is still planned for 2023. The mission will take about 6 days to complete. There have been similar trajectory trips around the moon without entering its orbit or landing on the moon including Apollo 13 which followed a similar path. Sometime in the 2020s, NASA’s Artemis 1 and 2 are proposed to launch and take a similar trajectory. Artemis 1 will be unmanned and following a successful mention, Artemis 2 will follow fully crewed. These flights are expected to launch sometime in 2022.
Who Gets to Go?
Maezawa plans to invite six to eight leading artists to the #dearMoon project. His goal is to foster the creation of artwork that will be inspirational to humanity. He isn’t sure who he will invite yet, but it might include a dancer, photographer, sculptor, film director, painter, musician, and architect. Once they return, they will be asked to create something in their genre.
For now, we excitedly wait for the preparations for #dearMoon to continue towards a successful launch. Once Maezawa successfully completes the space mission and art project, it will most likely open up more possibilities for commercial and recreational trips to the moon. Which is so amazing! Will you be booking your trip in the near future? I know I will be and I hope we can be on the same exciting flight.
