SpaceX, the ambitious rocket company headed by Elon Musk, http://www.spacex.com/news/2017/02/27/spacex-send-privately-crewed-dragon- spacecraft -beyond-moon-next-year and back to Earth before the end of next year. If they manage that feat, the passengers would be the first humans to venture that far into space in more than 40 years.
Mr. Musk made the announcement on Monday in a telephone news conference. He said two private individuals approached the company to see if SpaceX would be willing to send them on a weeklong cruise, which would fly past the surface of the moon — but not land — and continue outward before gravity turned the spacecraft around and brought it back to Earth for a landing.
“This would do a long loop around the moon,” Mr. Musk said. The company is aiming to launch this moon mission in late 2018.
“It strikes me as risky,” Dr. Dittmar said, adding that autonomous systems are not infallible. “I find it extraordinary that these sorts of announcements are being made when SpaceX has yet to get crew from the ground to low-Earth orbit.”
SpaceX's plan is to send two private citizens on a flyby mission around the moon using the company's Dragon spacecraft and Falcon Heavy rocket. The mission is expected to take place in late 2023.
The mission is expected to take approximately one week, with a flyby of the moon and return to Earth. The exact duration will depend on the specific trajectory and orbital path chosen by SpaceX.
The identities of the two individuals have not been revealed yet, but they have been described as "two paying customers" who have already made a significant deposit for the mission.
The main purpose of this mission is to demonstrate SpaceX's capability to send humans beyond Earth's orbit and to pave the way for future manned missions to the moon and Mars. It also serves as a source of revenue for the company.
SpaceX has a thorough safety protocol in place for all of its missions, including this manned flyby mission. The company will conduct extensive testing and training for the passengers and the spacecraft, and will have a robust emergency response plan in case of any unforeseen events. Additionally, the spacecraft will be equipped with life support systems and other safety features to ensure the well-being of the passengers during the mission.