Russia To Send Billionaire Maezawa, Film Crew To ISS
Faizan Hashmi Published May 13, 2021 | 06:50 PM
Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th May, 2021 ) :Russia announced plans Thursday to take Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa to the International Space Station (ISS) in December, in a bid to resurrect its space tourism programme in face of US competition.
Maezawa, 45, who made his fortune in online retail, said he plans to document the mission and share it with the world on his YouTube channel with over 700,000 subscribers.
The Roscosmos space agency said Maezawa would make the flight from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with production assistant Yozo Hirano aboard a Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft that is scheduled for December 8.
"I'm so curious 'what's life like in space?' So, I am planning to find out on my own and share with the world on my YouTube channel," Maezawa said as quoted by Roscosmos.
The eccentric billionaire has previously announced plans to take eight people with him on a 2023 mission around the moon aboard a Starship spacecraft built by SpaceX, the Roscosmos rival of US billionaire Elon Musk.
Maezawa and film producer Hirano will begin approximately three months of pre-flight training in June at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, a closed city outside of Moscow, Roscosmos added.
They have already passed the required medical examinations, it said.
Roscosmos said the flight will last 12 days and the crew will be led by Cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, who has already been on two expeditions to the ISS.
A total of eight private self-funded space travellers have visited the ISS and Maezawa will be the first from Japan.
His flight will also be the first time that two of the three spots on a Soyuz space rocket will be occupied by tourists.
"We are excited for Maezawa-san and we are honoured to have enabled this opportunity for him to fly to space," said Eric Anderson, CEO of Space Adventures, a private spaceflight company.
It has cooperated with Roscosmos since the first space tourist flight in 2001.
- Plans for first space film feature - Roscosmos separately announced Thursday it was sending an actress and a director to the ISS in October with the aim of making the first feature film in space.
The film, whose working title is "Challenge" is being co-produced by the flamboyant head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, and state-run network Channel One.
The announcement follows one last year by NASA which confirmed that it will be teaming up with actor Tom Cruise to make a Hollywood movie on the ISS.
Maezawa will be the first space tourist to travel to the ISS since 2009 when Canadian Guy Laliberte, co-founder of Cirque du Soleil, traveled to the station.
According to Forbes magazine, space tourists could pay anywhere between $20 and $35 million per person for 8-12 days in space. The cost of Maezawa's flight has not been disclosed.
The resumption of tourist flights comes after Roscosmos lost its monopoly for ferrying crews to the ISS when a reusable SpaceX rocket last year successfully delivered NASA astronauts to space.
The industry is meanwhile beset with corruption, including multiple scandals over the construction of the new Vostochny launchpad in the Far East.
Russia launched the first artificial satellite on October 4, 1957. The Soviets maintained their lead in the initial years of the race.
They boasted the first manned flight to space by Gagarin on April 12, 1961, the first spacewalk four years later by Alexei Leonov and the first lunar probe in 1966. But the United States beat them to the moon with the first manned landing in 1969.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 26 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 26 April 2024
ICC Womens T20 World Cup Qualifier, Match 2: Ireland Women open with Comfortable ..
Robinson, bowlers help New Zealand go 2-1 up against Pakistan
Shahzeb Chachar to hold khuli kachehri on April 26
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
Tourism must change, mayor says as Venice launches entry fee
Court adjourns Judicial Complex attack case till May 17
Nasreen Noori’s book ‘Popatan Jahra Khwab’ launched
Wafaqi Mohtasib inspection team visits Excise and taxation office
AJLAC announces 5th Conference titled ‘People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil ..
Pak-US officials engage to enhance trade, investment ties
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
PDMA predicts gusty wind, rain with thunder, hails
3 days ago -
Iranian president Raisi given guard of honour at PM House
4 days ago -
Intellectuals, writers accolades Naseer Mirza on his literary contribution
5 days ago -
Bahawalpur Adabi Sangat hosts memorable mushaira
5 days ago -
Cattle farming vital to alleviate poverty in rural areas
5 days ago -
Pakistan: A land of tourism, archeological wonders
5 days ago
-
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
7 days ago -
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
11 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
12 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
12 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur presents program “Eidi Shidi”
15 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur to broadcast Eid programs
17 days ago