Two Japanese space tourists to fly to ISS on board Russia's Soyuz in Dec - Roscosmos
MOSCOW. May 13 (Interfax) - Two Japanese space tourists will head to the International Space Station (ISS) on board Russia's Soyuz MS-20 spacecraft in December, the Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos said.
"Space Adventures, Inc., the world's leading space experiences company, announced that Yusaku Maezawa has begun preparations for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by successfully passing the required medical examinations. He and his production assistant, Yozo Hirano, are planning to launch on the Russian Soyuz MS-20 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on December 8, 2021," Roscosmos said.
The spaceflight will continue 12 days, the state corporation said. Its commander will be Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin. Maezawa will start training for the flight in Zvyozdny Gorodok in the Moscow region in June.
"Space Adventures has been cooperating with Roscosmos since the world's first space tourist flight in 2001. In total , seven self-funded individuals have visited the space station and Yusaku Maezawa plans to be the eighth and the first from Japan," Roscosmos said.
Maezawa, the founder of Zozo Inc., is the 14th richest person in Japan. Hirano is currently working at Space Today as a producer. On the ISS, Hirano will be responsible for documenting Maezawa's mission
Maezawa earlier announced plans to participate in a circumlunar mission on board SpaceX's Starship spacecraft, which is currently scheduled to launch in 2023.