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

Popular posts from this blog

In a Flash - Nigerian News Dailies

The Guardian Northern group urges Buhari to sack Emefiele, team over naira redesign. Threatens protest in North, FCT Concerned Northern Forum (CNF) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Dr. Godwin Emefiele, and his team within seven days over controversies trailing the plan to redesign the nation’s currency. CNF, during a press briefing at the Arewa House in Kaduna, yesterday, said failure to meet their demand would force it to stage massive protests across the Northern region and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Daily Post Floods: Bayelsa not among 10 most affected states – Humanitarian Minister, Farouq. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq has said Bayelsa State is not among the ten most affected states by flooding, rather Jigawa, Anambra and Kogi tops the lists. The Punch ● Afenifere senior chiefs to settle Fasoranti-Adebanjo row. Leaders of the apex Yoruba socio-cu

Na Wa!

Na Wa is a Nigerian Statement Which Means Beyond Words!  Wow! Men of the Nigerian Police - constabularies, captured/seen in a street protest!  In this viral video below. Police constabularies protest over non-payment of salaries. The men purportedly protest non payment of their salaries. Right in front of the Kwara State Government House. Brave move! The Government should please resolve the issues promptly. The police is your friend they are very instrumental to the protection of life and property through the enforcement of laws and regulations. An Update On The News Above; The Vanguard News reports that the Police Command in Kwara has dismissed the viral video circulating above, regarding a protest by some purported policemen over alleged non-payment of one year salary. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Tuesday Assayomo, said in a statement issued by the command Spokesman, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, on Saturday in Ilorin. Assayomo added that the police was not owing the salary of any c

Breaking! A Section Of Balogun Market, Lagos Island Gutted By Fire

A section of a five-storey building in popular Balogun Market, Lagos Island was today, Tuesday gutted by fire, the cause and magnitude of the fire are yet unknown. However, emergency response units, the police, security agencies and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), arrived at the scene of the fire and carried out a rescue operation. Substantiating the incident, Jubril Gawat, a media aide Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said: “The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is currently attending to a Fire outbreak at the famous Balogun Market which involved the topmost floor of a five storey building. “The Fire is however under control as mitigation are on to limits it spread.”