Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa is SpaceX's Moon tourist

Washington, Sep 18: SpaceX, Elon Musk's space transportation company, on Monday named its first private passenger as Japanese billionaire and founder of Zozotown Yusaku Maezawa.

SpaceX will send Japanese billionaire to the Moon

Elon Musk and his rocket company, SpaceX, have revealed who will fly their spaceship around the moon for the first time: a Japanese entrepreneur and billionaire named Yusaku Maezawa.

Who is Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa

Maezawa, who is 42, reportedly has a current net worth of $2.9 billion, according to Forbes. He is also an avid art collector, and he spent $110.5 million on a 1982 painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat called Untitled last year. As an artist, he wants to invite other artists to come along with him on his ride. Maezawa says he has "bought all the seats" on the BFR and will be looking for others to join him on a week-long mission around the Moon.

Maezawa purchased all seats on the spaceship

Maezawa purchased all seats on the spaceship, and plans to select six to eight artists from a variety of disciplines to take the lunar journey with him in 2023. The mission won't land on the surface of the moon but will ferry Maezawa and his artist crewmates around Earth's natural satellite.

Cost of the trip?

SpaceX did not reveal how much Maezawa paid for the moon flight, but said he already made a down payment. The high cost of the trip - estimated at around $150m (£120m).