SpaceX is sending someone around the moon, will announce via livestream on Monday

SpaceX says its first private passenger has been selected for a trip around the moon. The person, who will be revealed on Monday, Sept. 17, will fly on the company’s new BFR rocket that’s currently in development.

There’s no word on when this flight will take place. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had previously said the spaceship part of BFR could be ready for “short hopper flights” in 2019, according to Engadget. Test flights would follow in three to four years.

SpaceX’s BFR will eventually be used for trips around the world, to the Moon, and perhaps even Mars. Considered a super-heavy lift launch system, the BFR is a reusable first stage launch vehicle that’s being designed to replace SpaceX’s existing hardware by the early 2020s. When completed, the BFR will be the world’s most powerful rocket.

SpaceX has signed the world’s first private passenger to fly around the Moon aboard our BFR launch vehicle—an important step toward enabling access for everyday people who dream of traveling to space. Find out who’s flying and why on Monday, September 17. pic.twitter.com/64z4rygYhk

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 14, 2018

Who is SpaceX’s first passenger?

Responding to a question on Twitter on whether he was the passenger, Musk tweeted a Japanese flag emoji. Naturally, this is a strong indication that the passenger comes from the Asian nation. Musk could also be toying with us, of course.

We’ll know soon enough.

The big reveal for SpaceX’s first private passenger will occur on Monday at 9 p.m. EDT via a live stream. At that time, the company promises to let us know the who and why. What probably won’t be announced is just how much this person is paying for their ticket.

SpaceX isn’t the only private company that hopes to put people into space. The world’s richest man, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, wants to offer space flights through his Blue Origin company, while Virgin’s Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic would like to do the same.

What would you pay for a trip around the moon? Let us know below.

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Bryan M. Wolfe

Bryan considers himself a well-rounded techie, having written articles for MakeUseOf, KnowTechie, AppAdvice, iDownload Blog. When he's not writing, he's being a single dad and rooting for his alma mater, Penn State, or cheering on the Patriots.