Stay updated with the latest in Tech, Science, Culture, Entertainment, and more by following our Telegram channel here.
Ever wanted to fly into outer space, but then realized you're not a genius scientist qualified to be an astronaut?
Me too.
But it turns out, you might not have to fulfil said criteria to finally journey into the world above our earthly clouds.
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa is looking for eight lucky people to join him on the first-ever private space flight to the Moon and back.
Elon Musk and Yusaku Maezawa. IMAGE: Los Angeles Times
And with fellow billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX as the 'spaceliner' of choice, you know this isn't some elaborate joke.
Dubbed the dearMoon mission, Maezawa plans to take eight artists with him on a flight aboard the next-generation reusable launch vehicle Starship around the Moon. And by 'artist', he literally means anyone who is creative, regardless of what field they're in. Or take it in his words, "If you see yourself as an artist, then you are an artist."
A digital render of Starship. IMAGE: dearMoon
Okay, since I write stories and share the news with you all, and dabble in street photography, I guess I'm an artist too, right?
Pre-registration has already begun. The deadline is March 14.
Once you've filled in all your relevant details, you'll receive a confirmation email, as well as a pre-registration certificate. This writer applied for a spot:
“This mission, we expect people will go further than any human has ever gone from Planet Earth,” said Musk.
According to the official dearMoon mission schedule, final crew selection will be made by the end of June 2021. After that, training and preparations for the space flight begin, and will run up until the beginning of 2023. And then it's time for liftoff.
The journey, along with the lunar flyby, will last roughly six days or so. Passengers will be flying to the Moon, making their way around it (essentially one giant U-turn) and back down to Earth.
The dearMoon flight plan. IMAGE: dearMoon
“These artists will be asked to create something after they return to Earth, and these masterpieces will inspire the dreamer within all of us," Maezawa explained.
But it's no walk in the park. There are two main criteria to fulfil:
Firstly, whatever activity you do has to have the potential to be impactful; it has to "help other people and greater society in some way."
Secondly, you have to be "willing and able to support other crew members who share similar aspirations."
Sounds like a good deal to me.
Maezawa first made headlines back in 2020 when he announced his bid to travel to space with a group of artists.
IMAGE: Reuters
He even took things a step further and announced he was looking for a girlfriend to join him on his flight. But that plan was scrapped, with Maezawa citing mixed feelings.
What's different about his latest announcement is his broader redefinition of what an 'artist' is, as mentioned earlier in this story. He hopes it will encourage a more diverse group of applicants.
The Japanese billionaire made his fortune after selling off a 30 percent stake of his online fashion retail company Zozo Inc to SoftBank in 2019.
Learn more about the dearMoon mission below:
Read more space stories:
NASA's Perseverance has a little 'family portrait' Easter egg
Apparently, outer space smells like a mix of gun powder, seared steak, and rum
Facts about space that will rock your world
Follow Mashable SEA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
