[Scarlett.]

US private rocket company SpaceX has announced that two private citizens have paid to be sent around the Moon.

The mission is planned for late 2018, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said, adding that the tourists "have already paid a significant deposit".

"This presents an opportunity for humans to return to deep space for the first time in 45 years," he said.

The two unnamed people will fly aboard a spaceship which is set for its first unmanned test flight later this year.

Mr Musk said the co-operation of America's Nasa space agency had made the plan possible.

He said the two passengers "will travel faster and further into the solar system than any before them".

Mr Musk declined to reveal their identities, only saying that they knew each other and that "it's nobody from Hollywood".

"Like the Apollo astronauts before them, these individuals will travel into space carrying the hopes and dreams of all humankind, driven by the universal human spirit of exploration.

"We expect to conduct health and fitness tests, as well as begin initial training later this year."

The first mission would be unmanned, and the next one - with crew - was expected in the second quarter of 2018, the billionaire entrepreneur and inventor said.

He also said the first passengers "are entering this with their eyes open, knowing that there is some risk here".

"They're certainly not naive, and we'll do everything we can to minimise that risk, but it's not zero."

The space tourists would make a loop around the Moon, skimming the lunar surface and then going well beyond, Mr Musk said.

The mission will not involve a lunar landing.

If Nasa decided it wanted to be first to take part in a lunar flyby mission, then the agency would have priority, Mr Musk said.

The US has not sent astronauts to the Moon since the early 1970s.

BBC News

[Withano]

Jelly

[reece(:]

Going to the moon then beyond? Will they be back?

[arista]

Originally Posted by reece(:

Going to the moon then beyond? Will they be back?

No its flying 2 Rich folks
round the Moon and Earth for a week
Doing more Testing at the same time.


No Landing etc.

[King Gizzard]

Can they take Farage and then leave him there

[arista]

Originally Posted by Nathan

Can they take Farage and then leave him there

No he does not have that much spare cash

[Northern Monkey]

Wish it was me

[LeatherTrumpet]

I once went a day trip to Dunoon

West coast not far from Glasgow

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by arista

No he does not have that much spare cash

We can have a whip-round.

[ebandit]

....will this blow the conspiracy theory that astronauts never actually stepped foot

on the moon................idea given that spacecraft could not safely protect astronauts

from radiation from van allen belt?

Mark L

...and yes i divvunt fancy the trip to test.....................

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by ebandit

....will this blow the conspiracy theory that astronauts never actually stepped foot

on the moon................idea given that spacecraft could not safely protect astronauts

from radiation from van allen belt?

Mark L

...and yes i divvunt fancy the trip to test.....................

It will not.Crazy people need something to believe in.A false prophet.They will say it's not real and any footage is CGI.

[James]

Originally Posted by Chewy

The two unnamed people will fly aboard a spaceship which is set for its first unmanned test flight later this year.

[Livia]

Sad really, that people can only get to do this if they have enough cash.

[ebandit]

Originally Posted by Livia

Sad really, that people can only get to do this if they have enough cash.

........pheee....eeewww! that counts me out.....................

jump into a space rocket...light blue touch paper...hope luck is on ya side

Mark L

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Livia

Sad really, that people can only get to do this if they have enough cash.

same as going to Disneyland etc I guess

[Will.]

Apparently Aliens have colonised the dark side of the moon.

[Jamie89]

I'd love to go into space

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Will.

Apparently Aliens have colonised the dark side of the moon.

no doubt they will be coming here soon taking all our women and shagging our jobs?

[Will.]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

no doubt they will be coming here soon taking all our women and shagging our jobs?

Maybe.

[Will.]

Youtube video

[ebandit]

Originally Posted by Jamie89

I'd love to go into space

............can't believe spice was banned.............outa space experience

on the cheap...................

Mark L

[James]

There's a press conference now where the first paying-passenger (for the moon mission) has been announced: Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. He's paying for it, and wants to pay for 6-8 artists to go with him on the trip around the moon. Won't happen next year though. They are aiming for 2023. New plan is to develop a new bigger rocket.

Youtube video

Anyone fancy going? Here's the website - https://dearmoon.earth/

[James]

Elon Musk has emphasised a few times that it is a risky endeavour.

Yusaku Maezawa wants Elon Musk to join him on the trip. Elon Musk isn't sure.

They are not revealing how much Yusaku paid, but he has put down a significant deposit.

[arista]

Originally Posted by James

Elon Musk has emphasised a few times that it is a risky endeavour.

Yusaku Maezawa wants Elon Musk to join him on the trip. Elon Musk isn't sure.

They are not revealing how much Yusaku paid, but he has put down a significant deposit.

Yes he is the scared CEO

[Livia]

He's taking a bunch of artists with him. How pissed off do we think that's going to make the scientific community? No astrophysicists but a "fashion designer".