Maezawa wants to take you to the moon: Japanese billionaire seeks passengers for 2023 SpaceX trip

Japanese billionaire YusakuMaezawa on Wednesday launched a search for eight people to joinhim as the first private passengers on a trip around the moonwith Elon Musk's SpaceX.

He had originally planned to invite artists for the week-longvoyage slated for 2023.

The rejigged project will "give more people from around theglobe the chance to join this journey. If you see yourself as anartist, then you are an artist," Maezawa said.

Maezawa to pay entire cost of trip himself

The first stage of the selection process runs to March 14,with applicants needing to pass medical checks and, eventually,an interview with Maezawa.

The entrepreneur, who sold his online fashion business ZozoInc. to SoftBank in 2019, is paying the entire cost ofthe voyage on SpaceX's next-generation reusable launch vehicle,dubbed the Starship.

"I thought there might be delays but everything is onschedule," said Maezawa in an interview.

Recent Starship prototypes exploded during testing

Two recent Starship prototypes have exploded during testing,underscoring the risks for Maezawa, 45, and his fellow passengers, who must also contend with the strains of spacetravel in the first private journey beyond Earth's orbit.

"Elon Musk says there is no problem and I believe him," saidMaezawa. SpaceX ferried four astronauts to the InternationalSpace Station in November on its Falcon 9 rocket.

Maezawa said he is not in training which he expects totake a few months at most but is watching his alcohol intakeand exercising while spending a few hours a week considering themission.

"I'm only preparing mentally," said the fashion guru,wearing a Dior shirt over a T-shirt depicting the iconic 1968Earthrise photo.

Seeing the whole Earth and the far side of the moon would behighlights of the trip, said Maezawa, who had considered a tripthe ISS before choosing the more ambitious moon voyage.

"This mission we expect people will go further than anyhuman has ever gone from Planet Earth," Musk said, days after SpaceX completed its latest $850 million US fundraising, which hashelped turn the businessman into one of the world's richestpeople.

Costs for the trip remain in line with the original contractwith SpaceX, said Maezawa, who has declined to say how much thatis, but says is more than his $110 million US purchase of aJean-Michel Basquiat painting.

Both Musk and Maezawa have built loyal followings on socialmedia, with the latter's cash giveaways helping to make himJapan's most-followed Twitter account.

Maezawa, who recently introduced SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Sonto audio app Clubhouse, said he plans to feature missionpreparation on his YouTube channel, which also offers videos ofhim playing golf in Hawaii and racing supercars.

Last year he launched a short-lived documentary search for anew girlfriend to join him on the trip before pulling out citing"mixed feelings."