Yusaku Maezawa to become first Japanese private citizen to visit ISS. Rocket launch on the 8th to be live-streamed on YouTube
Yusaku Maezawa, CEO of Start Today, will become the first Japanese private citizen to travel to and stay on the International Space Station (ISS) with the support of Space Adventures (a US space tourism company) and Roscosmos (the Russian Federal Space Agency). The Soyuz spacecraft MS-20 carrying him is scheduled to launch today, the 8th, at 16:38.
Accompanying him as a passenger will be pilot Alexander Mishurin, a cosmonaut (Russia) and Yozo Hirano, an executive of a company affiliated with Mr. Maezawa, who will film the entire space flight. As an endeavor unique to a private space traveler, the entire process, from training to the journey to the ISS, the stay there, and the return, will be published on Mr. Maezawa's YouTube channel under the theme of "What is space really like?"
Mr. Maezawa's YouTube Channel:
Watch the live launch broadcast program "Maezawa Space Travel" here.
Broadcast Time: Wednesday, December 8, 16:00–16:50 (planned) ※Japan Standard Time
Mr. Maezawa is scheduled to stay on the ISS for approximately 12 days. During his stay, he will carry out the "100 Things to Do in Space" that were previously solicited.
Additionally, Mr. Maezawa is advancing "dearMoon," the world's first private lunar orbit space project, scheduled for 2023. He is recruiting eight crew members from around the world to join him on the moon.
Born in Chiba Prefecture in 1975 (age 46)
Founded Start Today Co., Ltd. (now ZOZO Inc.) in 1998 and launched the fashion e-commerce site "ZOZOTOWN" in 2004. Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers market (3092) in December 2007, moved to the First Section in February 2012, and surpassed a market capitalization of ¥1 trillion in August 2017. Announced a capital and business alliance with Yahoo Japan Corporation in September 2019 and simultaneously stepped down as CEO of the company. Immediately afterward, he founded Start Today Inc. and, starting in 2021, launched 13 businesses—including his own ventures—as his second startup. He has also distributed approximately ¥2.8 billion as the "Money-Giving Uncle," conducting a Maeda-style basic income social experiment and tackling social issues.
After graduating university, he managed the photography team and served as casting director at ZOZO Inc. Following his departure from ZOZO, he worked at a video production company and currently serves as an executive at a company affiliated with Mr. Maezawa. He has been working as a producer and manager for Mr. Maezawa's private projects to the present day. He is responsible for filming Mr. Maezawa's YouTube channel and plans to film his stay on the ISS.
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