
SpaceX has signed the world’s first private passenger to fly around the Moon - snake117
https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1040397262248005632
======
reaperducer
Pan Am signed people up for moon flights in 1968.†

We'll see if SpaceX lasts longer than PanAm did.

† [https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/were-you-
member...](https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/were-you-
member-“first-moon-flights”-club)

~~~
GW150914
SpaceX has been kicking ass for a while now, I wouldn’t bet against them being
in it for the long haul.

BUT, I don’t think the people who sign up for this should seriously expect to
fly around the moon. That is a very very non-trivial engineering challenge,
and the only people who did it were highly trained, had balls of pure cast
iron, and frankly accepted the very real possibility of death. I feel that the
statements “SpaceX is the real deal and not to be discounted” and “selling
tickets to the moon is a PR farce” are compatible.

~~~
captain_perl
> the only people who did it were highly trained, had balls of pure cast iron

Astronauts are highly-trained, but I haven't seen any evidence they were
necessary - they don't do the orbital calculations, and if there was an
emergency, Ground Control would solve the problem.

~~~
shshhdhs
> and if there was an emergency, Ground Control would solve the problem.

False. If there was an emergency, it could take several minutes for
communication. Multiple responses could take an hour or more. They were highly
trained to deal with issues because of this

~~~
informatimago
Nope, not to the Moon. It takes less than 2 seconds. You can still do
interactive conversation with that delay. Remember, the speed of light is very
big!

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perilunar
It's on BFR, not Dragon2, so probably a few years away.

Their previous plans for a lunar flyby were with a Dragon 2, which would
theoretically be possible as early as next year.

------
isostatic
They already announced this, nearly 2 years ago. Wake me when BFR has
successfully returned from orbit

[https://www.spacex.com/news/2017/02/27/spacex-send-
privately...](https://www.spacex.com/news/2017/02/27/spacex-send-privately-
crewed-dragon-spacecraft-beyond-moon-next-year)

------
sparkzilla
Musk tweeted a Japanese flag shortly after, so unless they're delivering sushi
to the moon, it's someone Japanese.

------
swingline-747

        Fly me to the moon 
        Let me play among the stars 
        Let me see what spring is like on 
        A-Jupiter and Mars 
        In other words, hold my hand 
        In other words, baby, kiss me
    

I knew a guy whom took dates to buzz around the Statue of Liberty about 20m
away, pre-9/11.. now dudes are going to have to take them literally around the
moon. To afford this, anyone got any hot stock tips? :)

