SpaceX to Send Two Citizens Around the Moon in 2018

This July marks 49 years since the Apollo 11 crew took one small step and one giant leap for mankind landing on the moon for the first time. Yesterday, SpaceX announced that they will send a privately crewed Dragon Spacecraft beyond the moon next year.

In the press release, the company stated that they were approached by two individuals who hoped to make a significant deposit in order to live there dream of space exploration. While the company as expected the deal, there are still a number of regulations and test that must be followed and completed in order to undertake the mission.

“We expect to conduct health and fitness tests, as well as begin initial training later this year. Other flight teams have also expressed strong interest and we expect more to follow. Additional information will be released about the flight teams, contingent upon their approval and confirmation of the health and fitness test results.”

Obviously no information – in regards to the citizens and the crew – is known at this time, but their will most certainly be a lot of willing candidates. The SpaceX mission will be flown aboard the Dragon 2 rocket, and is all thanks to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which provided funding for the project.

The mission’s goal is to circumnavigate the moon with the crew and two citizens aboard and safely return to earth. Lift-off will take place from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Pad 39A near Cape Canaveral.

The same launch pad used by the Apollo program for its lunar missions will be used on the upcoming mission

In the current trialing political times for the United States and all of humanity, this is an amazing opportunity to reinvigorate the space program, and the world’s future. The SpaceX mission would be the first return for humans to deep space in 45 years, and will travel faster and further into the Solar System than any exploration before them, so be sure to stay tuned for updates!