A Japanese billionaire is looking for eight people to join him on a trip around the moon, and anyone can join in for the chance to win a seat.
Why does it matter: If successful, this mission will mark the first time that civilians – not professional astronauts – will fly beyond Earth’s orbit.
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What is happening: The mission – supported by businessman Yusaku Maezawa – is due to launch in 2023 aboard SpaceX’s Starship system, designed to take people and heavy loads into orbit and beyond.
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The mission is expected to launch 10 to 12 people on a mission around the Moon and back to Earth.
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Maezawa is now asking anyone interested in entering to have a chance to be chosen for one of the eight seats available on board the spacecraft by March 14, with medical examinations and final interviews expected in May.
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You can get more information and sign up here.
Background: This project, called dearMoon, was first announced in 2018, with Maezawa hoping to take artists on their journey into space, but their attitude towards who should follow the mission has recently changed.
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“I started to think, each person who is doing something creative with their lives, isn’t everyone an artist?” Maezawa said in a new video.
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“In that sense, I wanted my invitation to reach a wider community and give more people around the world a chance to join this journey. If you see yourself as an artist, then you are an artist.”
But, but, but: The SpaceX starship is not yet ready to take anyone to the moon.
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The company is still in the early days of test flights for its starship prototypes, although Elon Musk said in the video that he expects the spacecraft to be ready for this mission in 2023.
The big picture: This is the third high-level civilian-focused space mission to make news in a matter of weeks.
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Jared Isaacman’s Inspiration4, using the SpaceX Crew Dragon, is expected to become the first all-civilian mission to orbit later this year.
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And Axiom Space is flying with its own crew of three civilians and a professional SpaceX commercial astronaut to the International Space Station early next year.
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