Everyday Astronaut Will Become a Real Astronaut

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Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut, will really go to the moon. He will be on the Dear Moon SpaceX mission to go around the moon.

The Dear Moon mission is a SpaceX Superheavy Starship flight purchased by billionaire, Yusaku Maezawa(MZ).

The mission profile will be similar to the Apollo 8 mission.

16 thoughts on “Everyday Astronaut Will Become a Real Astronaut”

  1. my takeaway is that this first flight will be just the start. I can imagine SpaceX doing monthly and then weekly flights if all of this works out. There has to be ridiculous demand assuming SpaceX can lower the cost.

    As for Tim Dodd, I have been a huge fan and supporter for the last few years and couldn’t be happier that he got his opportunity.

  4. The Starship should easily do the Lunar Flyby since it has ample capacity – it’s not taking 100 metric tons to orbit. Sure, there’s food, oxygen, etc. to loft but it’s not going to be anywhere near 100 MTs!

    I haven’t done the math (too early in the planning stages to figure out payload), but I’ll wager they could do TLI and orbit for a few! Then a TEI to come back. What a trip of a lifetime!!

    I’m jealous. I’m also 70 years old and have an artificial heart valve. But I’d go in a flash if asked.

  5. The SpaceX mission graphic was interesting. It launches from KSC not Boca Chica, it has no orbital refilling or crew/passenger transfer so they launch and land with the Starship.

    I assume it’s the same passenger/crew Starship previously launched on Polaris Three commanded by Jared Isaacman.

    Seems like we’ll see it under construction pretty soon.

    This Dear Moon Starship together with the two Artemis landers built under NASA contract but owned by SpaceX once it delivers the contracted services – are a complete Lunar transport system (together with Cargo/tanker Starships that have to be built and tested at the same time).

    • Yep, a purely Starship based cis-lunar architecture. I didn’t know it could do trans lunar injection without refueling. I understood that Starship could take >100 tones to LEO, but required refueling to do anything beyond. Probably they’ll sacrifice cargo and make the habitable space smaller, just for 8 passengers.

      I imagine it’s attractive for space tourism and the lesser complexity compared to a HLS with landing.

  6. cool that normal men can go now,
    not the 1960’s with super well trained, super smart army Guinee pigs, which were bound by military standards, codes and other top secrecy’s

    • He definitely said it several times, but when confronted with the actual opportunity, he caved.

      And good for him; it’s much better for him to regret having gone than regret having not gone.

      • Well, now he’s pretty much committed. Chickening out would pretty much ruin him as as a media influencer, now the cat’s out of the bag.

  9. What an incredible opportunity for the young man, I hope it’s everything that he wants it to be and that humanity can learn something new from his travels.

  10. I’ve watched many of his vids over the years, and as Jean said, Elon likes him. Not surprised he was picked, and I think he will do a great job reporting/documenting the entire journey.

  12. The guy seems very down to Earth and well, like a bunch of other regular space nerds, but he does have a lot of followers and seems to be favored by Musk, being granted interviews and guided tours to Boca Chica.

    Maezawa is probably looking to gather the sympathies of the Youtube crowd and have good coverage.

    But if Starship succeeds, we should get used to this kind of visitors to space.

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