Skip to main content

Wow! Another Billionaire in Space - Japan's Yusaku Maezawa

Japanese billionaire blasts off to International Space Station

Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa has blasted off on a trip to the International Space Station (ISS), joining the growing list of billionaires who have made it to space.

He plans to carry out 100 tasks in space, including playing golf.

Mr Maezawa made his fortune through e-commerce companies including Zozotown.

He was once a drummer in a punk rock band, and last year launched a show in search of a new girlfriend to join him in space, but later cancelled it.

A Russian rocket carrying Mr Maezawa took off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

He is expected to spend 12 days at the ISS, and is the first space tourist to visit the station in recent years.

It is a precursor to Mr Maezawa's much-publicised trip to the Moon in 2023.

The billionaire who wants to fly to the Moon

Wednesday's launch saw Mr Maezawa accompanied by Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin and video producer Yozo Hirano, who is documenting the voyage for the billionaire's YouTube channel.

Mr Maezawa underwent a rigorous training programme prior to the launch, which included sleeping on an inclined bed, being spun around in a chair and playing long periods of badminton - all of which he has documented on social media

In an earlier press conference Mr Maezawa said the trip was a "dream come true".

"People can have hopes and dreams (by seeing that) a regular person like me can go into such an unknown world," said the billionaire.

He has promised to perform 100 tasks while on the ISS, culled from a list of suggestions contributed by the public.

It ranges from the expected, such as introducing his fellow astronauts and showing viewers what life is like on the ISS; to the more whimsical such as playing golf, blowing bubbles, and throwing a paper aeroplane.

Mr Maezawa's voyage, which is reportedly costing him $88m (£66m), follows fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos' short journey to space and Richard Branson's trip to the edge of space earlier this year, in rockets built by their private companies.

Culled: BBC News


Comments

Post a Comment

Type your comments here

Popular posts from this blog

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Wins Big In Governor Nyesom Wike's Local Government Area

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, has won the Obio-Akpor, the Local Government Area of Governor Nyesom Wike in Rivers State by a landslide. Tinubu polled 80,239 votes to defeat the Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, who came a distant second with 3,829 and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who got 368 votes.
Post a Comment
Read more

Hunger Is A Bastard! It Drove Okocha, Taribo Others To Endorse Tinubu – Omoyele Sowore

Hunger led Kanu, Okocha, Taribo, others to endorse Tinubu Says Sowore. Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential aspirant, under the platform of the African Action Congress, AAC, as indicted former Super Eagles players for paying a visit to a former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Sowore, on his verified social media accounts, characterized the visit of the talented former  players, to Tinubu, who is pursuing the APC’s presidential ticket, as one “driven by hunger.” On Saturday, the former Super Eagles players met with Tinubu at his home, ahead of the novelty football match scheduled for Sunday at Onikan Stadium in Lagos State. Kanu Nwakwo, Jay-Jay Okocha, Taribo West, and Victor Ikpeba were among the ex-internationals who visited Tinubu’s home. The ex-Super Eagles players will take part in a novelty match to mark Tinubu’s 70th birthday. The novelty match is expected to feature 17 former Nigerian internationals. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

U.S. Donates 2.5 Million Doses Of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccines To Nigeria

The United States has announced the donation of 2.5 million Pfizer vaccine doses to Nigeria. This was disclosed in a statement by the U.S Embassy on Thursday. According to the statement, the vaccine doses arrived in Abuja this week and were received by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and taken to cold storage in preparation for distribution. The vaccines are planned to be distributed to over 3,000 health facilities across all 36 states and FCT-Abuja. The statement added that the vaccines in the next few weeks will be available across major locations for vaccination in the country. “Over the next several weeks, the vaccines will be available at major markets, shopping malls, event centers, motor parks, airports, places of employment, and religious institutions as part of Nigeria’s mass vaccination campaign.” The statement added that, “the United States has donated more than 13.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in partnership with COVAX, or bilaterally to Nigeria. “...
Post a Comment
Read more