dearMoon project

On February 27, 2017, SpaceX announced that they were planning to fly two space tourists on a free-return trajectory around the Moon, now known to be billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, and one friend.[https://www.space.com/41856-how-spacex-bfr-moon-passenger-flight-works.html How SpaceX's 1st Passenger Flight Around the Moon with Yusaku Maezawa Will Work] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201091259/https://www.space.com/41856-how-spacex-bfr-moon-passenger-flight-works.html |date=2020-02-01 }}. Tariq Malik, Space.com. 18 September 2018. This mission, which would have launched in late 2018, was planned to use the Crew Dragon capsule already developed under contract for NASA's Commercial Crew Program and launched via a Falcon Heavy rocket.{{cite web |url= http://www.spacex.com/news/2017/02/27/spacex-send-privately-crewed-dragon-spacecraft-beyond-moon-next-year |title= SpaceX to Send Privately Crewed Dragon Spacecraft Beyond the Moon Next Year |date= 27 February 2017 |author= SpaceX |publisher= SpaceX |access-date= 12 March 2017 |archive-date= 1 March 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170301013629/http://www.spacex.com/news/2017/02/27/spacex-send-privately-crewed-dragon-spacecraft-beyond-moon-next-year |url-status= live }} As well as being a source of income for the company, any mission would serve as technology development for SpaceX's further plans to colonize Mars.{{cite news |url= http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/spacex-announces-moonshot-mission-2018/ |title= SpaceX Announces 2018 Moonshot Mission |author= David Dickinson |date= 1 March 2017 |publisher= Sky and Telescope |access-date= 9 October 2017 |archive-date= 18 December 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191218225715/https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/spacex-announces-moonshot-mission-2018/ |url-status= live }}

At the time of the 2017 announcement, Crew Dragon was still under development and the Falcon Heavy had yet to fly. Industry analysts noted that the schedule proposed by SpaceX might be too ambitious, as the capsule was expected to need modifications to handle differences in flight profile between the proposed lunar flight and its main use for crew transfer to space stations orbiting Earth.{{Cite news |url= https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/could-spacex-get-people-to-the-moon-in-2018/ |title= Could SpaceX Get People to the Moon in 2018? |author= Mike Wall |date= 4 March 2017 |publisher= Scientific American |access-date= 9 October 2017 |archive-date= 23 November 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181123114845/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/could-spacex-get-people-to-the-moon-in-2018/ |url-status= live }}

In February 2018, SpaceX announced it no longer had plans to certify the Falcon Heavy for human spaceflight and that lunar missions would be flown on Starship (then called BFR{{Broken anchor|date=2024-06-06|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=SpaceX Starship#BFR|reason=Anchor "SpaceX Starship#BFR" links to a specific web page: "Big Falcon Rocket". The anchor (BFR) has been deleted.}}).{{cite news|last1=Pasztor|first1=Andy|title=Elon Musk Says SpaceX's New Falcon Heavy Rocket Unlikely to Carry Astronauts|newspaper=WSJ |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-says-spacexs-new-falcon-heavy-rocket-unlikely-to-carry-astronauts-1517876582?mod=rss_Technology|publisher=Wall Street Journal|access-date=6 February 2018|archive-date=6 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206172108/https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-says-spacexs-new-falcon-heavy-rocket-unlikely-to-carry-astronauts-1517876582?mod=rss_Technology|url-status=live}} Starship is expected to have a pressurized volume of {{cvt|1000|m3|ft3}}, large common areas, central storage, a galley, and a solar storm shelter.{{cite web | url=http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/making_life_multiplanetary_transcript_2017.pdf | title=Making Life Multiplanetary: Abridged transcript of Elon Musk's presentation to the 68th International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide, Australia | publisher=SpaceX | date=September 2017 | access-date=2018-06-08 | archive-date=2018-08-08 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808022709/http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/making_life_multiplanetary_transcript_2017.pdf | url-status=live }} Then, on 14 September 2018, SpaceX announced that the previously contracted passenger would be launched aboard Starship to fly by the Moon in 2023.{{cite news |author=Eric Ralph |title=SpaceX has signed a private passenger for the first BFR launch around the Moon |url=https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-private-passenger-bfr-moon-mission/ |access-date=14 September 2018 |date=14 September 2018 |archive-date=14 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914132048/https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-private-passenger-bfr-moon-mission/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Grush |first1=Loren |title=SpaceX says it will send someone around the Moon on its future monster rocket |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/13/17857872/spacex-moon-trip-passenger-announcement-bfr |date=14 September 2018 |publisher=The Verge |access-date=15 September 2018 |archive-date=14 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914032806/https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/13/17857872/spacex-moon-trip-passenger-announcement-bfr |url-status=live }}

The project was unilaterally cancelled by Maezawa in May 2024. Starship development had fallen significantly behind the original SpaceX aspirational date for the flight in 2023—with the lunar flight likely delayed to the 2030s—and Maezawa's net worth had also halved since the time when the DearMoon venture was announced in 2018.{{cite news |title=Here's why a Japanese billionaire just canceled his lunar flight on Starship |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/06/heres-why-a-japanese-billionaire-just-canceled-his-lunar-flight-on-starship/ |last=Berger|first=Eric |work=ArsTechnica |date=1 June 2024 |access-date=5 June 2024}}

The project was announced in 2018 with the original intent to bring a crew of artists to the Moon. In this latest release, Maezawa calls for applicants to make up a crew of eight individuals from around the world for the week-long lunar trip.

On February 7, 2019, the dearMoon YouTube channel posted a video in which Maezawa discusses the movie First Man with director Damien Chazelle and lead actor Ryan Gosling. In the video, Maezawa officially invites Chazelle to come with him on his dearMoon project, making Chazelle the first person to be publicly invited to go. However, Chazelle answered that he had to think about it and discuss it with his wife.{{cite AV media |date=7 February 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjoZUPVEtcQ |title=Movie "FIRST MAN" Special talk -Yusaku Maezawa × Damien Chazelle × Ryan Gosling- |publisher=dearMoon |via=YouTube |access-date=13 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208223816/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjoZUPVEtcQ |archive-date=8 December 2022 |url-status=live}} On March 3, 2021, Yusaku Maezawa announced that eight members of the public will be selected to fly on dearMoon.{{cite web |last1=Sheetz |first1=Michael |title=Japanese billionaire to fly eight members of the public on SpaceX moon flight |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/02/yusaku-maezawa-opens-up-public-seats-on-spacex-starship-moon-flight.html |website=CNBC |access-date=3 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303135147/https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/02/yusaku-maezawa-opens-up-public-seats-on-spacex-starship-moon-flight.html |archive-date=3 March 2021 |language=en |date=2 March 2021 |url-status=live}}{{Cite tweet |last=Maezawa |first=Yusaku |author-link=Yusaku_Maezawa |user=yousuckMZ |number=1366872714628132864 |title=Get your FREE TICKET to the MOON!! |date=3 March 2021 |access-date=3 March 2021 |link=no |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303004215/https://twitter.com/yousuckMZ/status/1366872714628132864 |archive-date=3 March 2021}} On July 16, 2021, Yuzaku Maezawa uploaded a video that reveals 1 million people have joined, but there was still no information on who won the 8 seats.{{cite AV media |date=16 July 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE5vdpFlamI |title=【全世界から100万人が応募】dearMoon 最終選考間近、エントリー映像公開！【1M ENTRIES WORLDWIDE】dearMoon Applicants Sneak Peek! |publisher=Yusaku Maezawa【MZ】 |via=YouTube |access-date=13 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107212743/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE5vdpFlamI |archive-date=7 November 2022 |url-status=live}}

On December 8, 2022, the crew of the mission was announced, along with two backup crew members.{{cite tweet |last=Sheetz |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Sheetz |user=thesheetztweetz |number=1600954401602125824 |date=8 December 2022 |title=Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa announced the dearMoon crew: DJ & producer Steve Aoki Youtube creator Tim Dodd Artist Yemi A.D. Photographer Karim Iliya Photographer Rhiannon Adam Filmmaker Brendan Hall Actor Dev Joshi Musician T.O.P. https://t.co/8QRphzGKef |language=en |access-date=13 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209210551/https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1600954401602125824 |archive-date=9 December 2022 |url-status=live}}{{cite AV media |date=8 December 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-XXSdcsBLU |title=dearMoon Crew Announcement! {{!}} 月周回プロジェクトdearMoon クルー発表 |publisher=Yusaku Maezawa【MZ】 |via=YouTube |access-date=13 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210101359/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-XXSdcsBLU |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-status=live}}

;Primary crew

{{Spaceflight crew

| terminology = Astronaut

| position1 = Spacecraft commander

| crew1_up = {{flagicon|Japan}} Yusaku Maezawa

| flights1_up = Would have been second

| position2 = Pilot

| crew2_up = {{flagicon|USA}} Steve Aoki

| flights2_up = Would have been first

| position3 = YouTuber

| crew3_up = {{flagicon|USA}} Tim Dodd

| flights3_up = Would have been first

| position4 = Multidisciplinary Creative

| crew4_up = {{flagicon|CZE}} Yemi A.D.

| flights4_up = Would have been first

| position5 = Photographic Artist

| crew5_up = {{flagicon|Ireland}} Rhiannon Adam

| flights6_up = Would have been first

| position6 = Photographer

| crew6_up = {{flagicon|GBR}} Karim Iliya

| flights5_up = Would have been first

| position7 = Filmmaker

| crew7_up = {{flagicon|USA}} Brendan Hall

| flights7_up = Would have been first

| position8 = Actor

| crew8_up = {{flagicon|India}} Dev Joshi

| flights8_up = Would have been first

| position9 = Singer

| crew9_up = {{flagicon|South Korea}} Choi Seung-hyun

| flights9_up = Would have been first

}}

;Backup crew

{{Spaceflight crew

| terminology = Astronaut

| position1 = Mission Specialist

|crew1_up={{flagicon|United States}} Kaitlyn Farrington

|flights1_up=Would have been first

| position2 = Mission Specialist

|crew2_up={{flagicon|Japan}} Miyu

|flights2_up=Would have been first

}}

The dearMoon project passengers would have been Yusaku Maezawa and eight accomplished artists that Maezawa had invited to travel with him for free.{{cite tweet |author=前澤友作@MZDAO |user=yousuck2020 |number=1042331987841703936 |date=19 September 2018 |title=After a press conference, we talked a lot at Elon's home. He said that it would be reliable if 1-2 astronauts will be on board. #dearMoon ＠elonmusk |language=en |access-date=13 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930072251/https://twitter.com/yousuck2020/status/1042331987841703936 |archive-date=30 September 2022 |url-status=live}} Maezawa expected this flight to inspire the artists in their creation of new art, which will be presented some time after their return to Earth. He had hoped this project will help promote peace around the world.{{cite AV media |date=18 September 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu7WJD8vpAQ |title=First Private Passenger on Lunar Starship Mission |publisher=SpaceX |via=YouTube |access-date=13 December 2022}}[https://dearmoon.earth/ Dear Moon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112172933/https://dearmoon.earth/ |date=2020-01-12 }}. Accessed: 17 September 2018.

Initially proposed to launch in 2023, the circumlunar mission was expected to have taken 6 days to complete, following a free-return trajectory similar to that of Apollo 13. NASA is expected to launch Artemis 2 on a similar trajectory in February 2026, with a crew of four.{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/nasa-delays-artemis-2-and-3-missions/ |title=NASA delays Artemis 2 and 3 missions |work=SpaceNews |date=9 January 2024 |access-date=11 January 2024}}

The mission was cancelled on 1 June 2024, due to Starship's developmental delays.{{cite web | url=https://www.space.com/japanese-billionaire-cancels-spacex-starship-moon-dearmoon-flight | title=Japanese billionaire cancels private flight around the moon on SpaceX's giant Starship | website=Space.com | date=June 2024 }}

The cancellation was announced on the project website{{Cite web |title=dearMoon Project |url=https://dearmoon.earth/ |access-date=June 1, 2024}} and on X.{{Cite tweet |number=1796759847817625933 |user=dearmoonproject |title=It is unfortunate to be announcing that 'dearMoon', the first private circum-lunar flight project, will be cancelled. We thank everyone who has supported us and apologize to those who have looked forward to this project. |access-date=2024-06-01}} The cancellation notice{{Cite web |date=June 1, 2024 |title=Notice of Project Cancellation |url=https://dearmoon.earth/pdf/dearMoon_EN_240601.pdf?0531 |access-date=June 1, 2024 |website=dearMoon Project}} stated "Arrangements were being made with SpaceX to target the launch by the end of 2023. Unfortunately, however, launch within 2023 became unfeasible, and without clear schedule certainty in the near-term, it is with a heavy heart that Maezawa made the unavoidable decision to cancel the project".

{{commonscat|DearMoon|lcfirst=yes}}

• Artemis 2
• Exploration of the Moon
• List of missions to the Moon
• Polaris program
• Timeline of private spaceflight
• Tourism on the Moon

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|https://dearmoon.earth/}}

{{Space tourism}}

{{Space tourists}}

{{Moon spacecraft}}

{{Falcon rocket launches}}

{{SpaceX}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:dearMoon project}}

Category:SpaceX human spaceflights

Category:Cancelled space missions

Category:Crewed missions to the Moon

Category:Tourism on the Moon

Category:Lunar flybys

Category:Space tourism

Category:SpaceX Starship

Category:Private space missions