“His intention is to try to share the experience
of what it means to be in space with the general
public,” Shelley told The Associated Press earlier
this year.
Maezawa made his fortune in retail fashion,
launching Japan’s largest online fashion mall,
Zozotown. Forbes magazine estimated his net
worth at $2 billion.
The tycoon has also booked a flyby around
the moon aboard Elon Musk’s Starship that is
tentatively scheduled in the next few years. He’ll
be joined on that trip by eight contest winners.