The world’s first space tourist wants to go back—only this time, he’s signed up for a spin around the moon aboard Elon Musk’s Starship.
October 12, 2022
The world’s first space tourist wants to go back—only this time, he’s signed up for a spin around the moon aboard Elon Musk’s Starship.
For Dennis Tito, 82, it’s a chance to relive the joy of his trip to the International Space Station, now that he’s retired with time on his hands. He isn’t interested in hopping on a 10-minute flight to the edge of space or repeating what he did 21 years ago. « Been there, done that. »
His weeklong moonshot—its date to be determined and years in the future—will bring him within 125 miles (200 kilometers) of the lunar far side. He’ll have company: his wife, Akiko, and 10 others willing to shell out big bucks for the ride.
Tito won’t say how much he’s paying; his Russian station flight cost $20 million.
The couple recognize there’s a lot of testing and development still ahead for Starship, a shiny, bullet-shaped behemoth that’s yet to even attempt to reach space.
« We have to keep healthy for as many years as it’s going to take for SpaceX to complete this vehicle, » Tito said in an interview this week with The Associated Press. « I might be sitting in a rocking chair, not doing any good exercise, if it wasn’t for this mission. »
Tito is actually the second billionaire to make a Starship reservation for a flight around the moon.
