Japanese billionaire revealed as SpaceX's first private passenger to the moon

Catherine Garcia, The Week US's avatar
By
published
Yusaku Maezawa.
(Image credit: AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

SpaceX announced Monday night that Yusaku Maezawa, a billionaire from Japan, will be the first private passenger to take a trip around the moon aboard the company's BFR rocket.

The 387-foot rocket is still being developed, but will be reusable with its own passenger ship, The Associated Press reports. Maezawa, a 42-year-old entrepreneur, told reporters his lifelong dream has been to go to space, and when he goes on the weeklong journey, he'll bring along six to eight creative people.

Maezawa also revealed that his trip is expected to take place in 2023. It's been more than 45 years since a person has been on the moon.

Article continues below

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Catherine Garcia, The Week US
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.