Japanese billionaire searching for eight people to take on SpaceX Moon rocket

Virgin Radio

4 Mar 2021, 16:00

Any plans for 2023? You could be on the way into space if you play your cards right. A Japanese billionaire has revealed he's looking for eight people to join him on Elon Musk's SpaceX flight around the moon in what sounds like a cross between SpaceX-Factor and Willy Wonka's Rocket Factory.

In 2018, fashion mogul and art collector, Yusaku Maezawa paid a very substantial - but secret - fee to be flown around the moon with SpaceX - and now he's looking for eight other space buddies to go with him in two years time on the dearMoon flight.

He previously said he was going to take artists with him, but has now opened up the one-in-a-lifetime experience to the general public.

He shared on Twitter: "I'm inviting you to join me on this mission. Eight of you from all around the world.

"The mission will take place 2 years from now, in 2023. I want people from all kinds of backgrounds to join.

"Two years ago I said that I would like to invite artists from around the world to come along with me. That was the original plan, but it has since evolved.

"Why has it evolved? I began to wonder... Who do I mean by artists? The more I thought about it, the more ambiguous it became.

"I began to think that every single person doing something creative could be called an artist. That was the conclusion I came to."

However, there is a ticklist that must be met in order to be considered. He said: "First of all, whatever activity you are into, by going into space I hope that you can push its envelope, to help other people and greater society in some way.

"Are you satisfied with what you're doing right now? By going to space could you do something that's even better, even bigger?

"Secondly, you have to be able to support other crew members who share similar aspirations.

"These two criteria will be key in selecting the 8 crew members."

You can apply here to register.  

As heard on Amy Voce's show on Virgin Radio UK. Listen to Amy Monday - Friday from 10pm and weekends from 6am for more like this, and the best music.