By T.K. Randall
December 9, 2022 · 1 comment
Will Starship beat Artemis II to the punch ? Image Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX is planning to send a human crew around the Moon in its new Starship spacecraft as early as next year.
Measuring 50 meters long, weighing in at 120 tons and equipped with six engines – three fixed and three movable – Starship is nothing if not ambitious.
Designed to carry cargo and astronauts all the way to Mars, this next-generation spacecraft is the real deal and could see the first humans set foot on the Red Planet in the not-too-distant future.
The project has not been without its share of setbacks, however.
Despite the fact that SpaceX only managed to get Starship to land without exploding as recently as 2021, it is perhaps surprising that it intends to launch a fully manned mission to orbit the Moon as early as next year – even sooner than NASA’s Artemis II.
Lasting 8 days, the mission would take its crew within a mere 200km of the lunar surface.
Now Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, who last year launched a global search for creative individuals to take with him on the mission, has announced who will be joining him.
The crew members will include K-pop rapper Choi Seung hyun, dancer Yemi A.D., DJ Steve Aoki, wildlife photographer Karim Iliya, YouTuber Tim Dodd and actor Dev Joshi.
“I hope each and every one will recognize the responsibility that comes with leaving the Earth, traveling to the Moon and back,” said Maezawa. “They will gain a lot from this experience and I hope they will use that to contribute to the planet, to humanity.”
Fortunately for his passengers, Maezawa will also be covering the cost of their tickets.
Whether or not the mission will actually go ahead, however, remains in question with Starship still awaiting approval from US regulators for orbital journeys.
As things stand, it has been grounded for the last 18 months.
Source: BBC News | Comments (1)
