Japanese Billionaire Buys Every Seat on SpaceX’s First Passenger Flight to the Moon

Japanese Billionaire Buys Every Seat on SpaceX’s First Passenger Flight to the Moon

Japanese Billionaire Yusaku Maezawa is taking a trip to outer space!

On Monday, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced during a press conference at the company’s headquarters in Los Angeles that Maezawa, 42, will be the first paying customer on its BFR rocket on a trip around the moon.

“This is my lifelong dream,” Maezawa, who founded the online fashion destination Zozotown, began. “Ever since I was a kid I have a loved the moon, just staring at the moon fueled my imagination.”

However, the wealthy art collector went on to explain that he doesn’t want to have this experience alone, but instead wants to share it with others in hopes of providing inspiration.

“I choose to go to the moon with artists,” Maezawa continued. “I choose to invite artists from all around the world on my journey.”

For the trip, which Maezawa is calling #DearMoon, the billionaire intends to bring six to eight artists with him to create work that “reflects their experience.”

Each guest will then be asked to create something after they return to Earth.

At this time, Maezawa has not decided which artists he would like to invite but plans on reaching out to various artists in different fields including painters, sculptors, photographers, musicians, film directors, fashion designers and architects.

“I love art and I look forward to seeing what different artists working together [can] bring to life,” Maezawa added.

Maezawa also revealed #DearMoon will not take place until 2023. The trip will also be the first mission to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.

In addition to making history in 2023, Maezawa made headlines last year after he bought a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting for $110 million, the highest price for a piece of artwork by an American artist.

Story as seen on People

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