Space Tourism has always been one of humanity’s biggest dreams. Next year, the dearMoon project plans to take the first step toward making that concept a reality, but who will be on the ship when it launches? Here is everything you need to know.
What is the dearMoon project?
dearMoon was conceived and financed by Yusaku Maezawa, a Japanese billionaire. This space tourism project will see him and a group of artists take a private spacecraft around the Moon before returning to Earth. The project was first announced in 2018, and the launch is planned for sometime in 2023, using a rocket made by Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX. Maezawa held open auditions for the crewmember spots in August 2021.
However, it should be noted that, despite the hype, a spacecraft has yet to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for this type of trip, meaning there may be some delays in the project’s future.
Who is going to be on the dearMoon flight?
The dearMoon crew features several well-known names and a few highly praised artists. Joining Maezawa on the rocket to the Moon will be:
- Steve Aoki: The legendary DJ is best known for his dance music, including his album, Wonderland, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2013.
- Tim Dodd: A YouTuber. He is known for running the Everyday Astronaut channel, which talks about space flight and the associated technologies behind it.
- Yemi A.D.: The Czech choreographer and art director most known for their work with the JAD Dance Company.
- Karim Iliya: This photographer is known for stunning nature pictures, specifically underwater pictures of whales.
- Rhiannon Adam: A photographer from London most known for portraits and social documentaries.
- Brendan Hall: A documentary filmmaker most known for the 2020 documentary Blood Sugar Rising.
- Dev Joshi: An Indian television actor famous for playing Baal Veer in Baal Veer and Baalveer Returns.
- T.O.P.: Member of South Korean band BIGBANG. The group is famous for kicking off America’s K-Pop wave.
On top of this, there will be two backup crew members. If any of the previously mentioned people cannot take part in the trip for whatever reason, one of the backups will take their place. The currently confirmed backups are:
- Miyu: A Japanese dancer who has worked with several massive companies and appeared in many music videos.
- Kaitlyn Farrington: American snowboarder who, at the 2014 Winter Olympics, won the gold medal in the women’s half-pipe competition.
