The dearMoon mission – a trip around the moon- scheduled for 2023 will be embarked upon by nine passengers aboard a Starship, including Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa and a choreographer of Nigerian origin, Yemi Akinyemi Dele.
The trip, which will loop around – but not land on – the moon, is tagged the “dearMoon mission” sponsored by Maezawa, who said the experience would be shared with about six to eight artists, including painters, sculptors, fashion designers and architects, who will all fly free of charge.
Maezawa expects that the flight will influence artists in their creation of new art, which will be presented after their return to Earth, to inspire other humans and promote world peace.
He invited artists around the world to apply for the opportunity and, on December 8, 2022, announced eight crew members out of over a million applications who will embark on the six-day journey around the moon. On the flight would be a Nigerian-Czech choreographer and multidisciplinary creative artist, Yemi Akinyemi Dele.