SpaceX: DJ, YouTuber and K-pop rapper to join flight to the moon

Image source, SpaceX

Image caption, A SpaceX picture of the Starship spacecraft that the artists would travel on

Eight lucky people have been chosen by a Japanese billionaire to join him on a trip to the moon!

Businessman Yusaku Maezawa bought every seat on the maiden SpaceX lunar voyage, which has been in the works since 2018.

A DJ, a YouTuber and a K-pop rapper are among the crew revealed after he carried out a global search last year for creative people to join him on what could be the first lunar journey by humans since 1972.

Let's take a look at who has made the cut from around the world.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has chosen the crew after buying every seat on the maiden SpaceX lunar voyage

The flight will see the crew circle the moon in a spacecraft, coming within 124 miles (200km) of its surface.

In total, the trip will take 8 days from launch to the time they return.

The flight isn't scheduled until next year but regulators for the Starship rocket from Elon Musk's SpaceX company in the US haven't actually given permission for the flight to go ahead yet.

The ship hasn't even been approved for the journey. It's been grounded for the past 18 months in Texas after completing a test launch in May 2021.

Image source, SPACEX

Image caption, SpaceX artwork

But Yusaku Maezawa seems positive about the mission.

He said:

"I hope each and every one will recognise the responsibility that comes with leaving the Earth, travelling to the moon and back," Mr Maezawa said.

"They will gain a lot from this experience and I hope they will use that to contribute to the planet, to humanity."

Would you go to space if you had the opportunity? Let us know in the comments below!