SpaceX plans historic lunar mission 'Dear Moon' to send eight civilian passengers and crew on a six-day journey around the Moon using their revolutionary Starship spacecraft.

SpaceX's ambitious plans to send humans around the Moon aboard Starship have captured the imagination of space enthusiasts worldwide. As the company's most powerful spacecraft to date, Starship represents a significant leap forward in space exploration and brings humanity closer to becoming a multi-planetary species.

The groundbreaking mission, known as "Dear Moon," was first announced by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa in 2018. Initially scheduled for 2023, the project aims to send artists and creators on an inspiring journey around Earth's only natural satellite. While the timeline has evolved due to development challenges and testing requirements, SpaceX continues to make significant progress toward this historic lunar mission.

SpaceX's Starship lunar mission encompasses a 6-day journey around the Moon, covering approximately 384,400 kilometers at its farthest point from Earth. The spacecraft carries 8 civilian passengers plus crew members, making it the largest crewed mission to lunar space.

• Starship launches atop Super Heavy booster from Starbase, Texas
• Earth orbit refueling enables deep space trajectory
• Free-return trajectory ensures automatic Earth return
• Lunar flyby distance: 200 kilometers from Moon's surface
• Total mission duration: 144 hours

Component	Specification
Spacecraft Height	50 meters
Payload Capacity	100 metric tons
Habitable Volume	1,000 cubic meters
Life Support Duration	10 days
Maximum Crew Size	12 people

• Orbital flight test completion

• Human-rated life support certification

• In-orbit refueling demonstration

• Crew training program initiation

• Launch site final preparations

• Redundant life support systems maintain crew survival

• Emergency abort capabilities during launch phase

• Radiation shielding protects against cosmic exposure

• Multiple communication systems ensure constant contact

• Automated return procedures activate if needed

Each mission phase incorporates specific backup procedures with triple-redundant critical systems. The spacecraft's design integrates lessons learned from previous space programs including Apollo moonshots NASA's Space Shuttle operations.

SpaceX's technical preparations for the lunar mission encompass extensive spacecraft development phases integrated testing protocols. The company focuses on key technical milestones to ensure mission success through systematic validation of critical systems.

Starship's development includes 33 Raptor engines producing 16 million pounds of thrust for orbital launches. The spacecraft completed integrated flight tests in April 2023 demonstrating:

• Upper stage separation mechanisms
• Heat shield thermal protection system validation
• Propellant transfer technology testing
• Life support systems integration
• Navigation software qualification
• Emergency abort system certification

Current testing protocols focus on:

• Cryogenic fuel management
• Deep-space communications systems
• Radiation protection implementation
• Crew cabin pressurization cycles

The launch infrastructure at Starbase features specialized equipment supporting Starship operations:

• 469-foot launch integration tower

• Robotic quick-disconnect arm system

• 350-ton capacity tank farm

• 400 megawatt power substation

• Digital flight control center

• Recovery vessel network

• Reinforced concrete flame diverter

• Cryogenic propellant storage expansion

• Advanced weather monitoring systems

• Emergency response facilities

• Crew access arm installation

• Landing pad modifications

Infrastructure Component	Specification
Launch Tower Height	469 ft
Tank Farm Capacity	350 tons
Power Supply	400 MW
Flame Trench Depth	40 ft
Pad Concrete Thickness	8 ft

The dearMoon project follows a structured timeline incorporating crew selection milestones technical validations. This ambitious lunar mission requires extensive preparation across multiple phases to ensure mission success.

The dearMoon crew selection began in March 2021 with over 1 million applications from 249 countries. The selection criteria prioritizes artistic achievement creative vision diversity among the eight civilian crew members. Key selection phases include:

• Initial application review focusing on artistic portfolio professional accomplishments

• Video submission evaluations assessing motivation communication skills

• Medical screening ensuring candidates meet space flight physical requirements

• Panel interviews with SpaceX engineers mission specialists

• Final selection announcement featuring crew member profiles project roles

• Zero-gravity flight experience: 20 parabolic flights totaling 10 hours

• Spacecraft systems operation: 200 hours of technical instruction practical simulations

• Emergency procedures: 80 hours focusing on safety protocols contingency responses

• Physical conditioning: 3 hours daily cardiovascular strength training

• Team dynamics: 100 hours of crew cohesion exercises leadership development

• Mission-specific tasks: 150 hours dedicated to lunar photography documentation protocols

Training Component	Duration (Hours)	Completion Milestone
Technical Systems	200	Month 6
Emergency Procedures	80	Month 4
Zero-G Training	10	Month 8
Team Development	100	Month 10
Mission Tasks	150	Month 12

The Starship lunar mission follows a carefully calculated trajectory that maximizes fuel efficiency while ensuring crew safety. The flight path incorporates specific orbital parameters designed for optimal lunar approach and return capabilities.

The spacecraft executes a free-return trajectory around the Moon at a minimum distance of 200 kilometers from the lunar surface. This path utilizes Earth-Moon gravitational dynamics to automatically return the vessel to Earth if system failures occur. Key orbital parameters include:

• Initial Earth parking orbit at 400 kilometers altitude

• Trans-lunar injection burn of 3.1 kilometers per second

• Maximum lunar distance of 384,400 kilometers

• Return trajectory inclination of 28.5 degrees

• Re-entry velocity of 11 kilometers per second

• Launch to Earth orbit: 8.5 minutes

• Orbital refueling operations: 4 hours

• Trans-lunar coast phase: 66 hours

• Lunar flyby period: 5 hours

• Return coast phase: 58 hours

• Re-entry and landing: 2.5 hours

Mission Phase	Duration	Distance Covered
Earth to Moon	70 hours	384,400 km
Lunar Flyby	5 hours	1,200 km
Moon to Earth	69 hours	384,400 km

SpaceX implements comprehensive safety protocols for the Starship lunar mission through multiple redundant systems and rigorous risk mitigation strategies. The spacecraft incorporates three-tier backup systems for life support, propulsion, navigation, and communications.

• Environmental Control Systems: Dual-redundant air filtration, temperature regulation, and CO2 scrubbing units maintain cabin atmosphere at 14.7 psi
• Radiation Protection: 30cm thick composite shielding materials protect against solar particle events and galactic cosmic rays
• Emergency Abort System: 8 SuperDraco engines enable high-speed escape capabilities during launch with 120,000 pounds of thrust
• Medical Equipment: Advanced diagnostic tools, emergency supplies, and telemedicine capabilities support crew health monitoring

Risk Category	Mitigation Measure	Redundancy Level
Life Support	ECLSS Systems	Triple
Propulsion	Engine Clusters	Dual
Power Generation	Solar Arrays/Batteries	Quadruple
Navigation	Guidance Systems	Triple

• Rapid Depressurization: Automatic hull breach detection activates emergency oxygen systems within 0.3 seconds

• Fire Suppression: Multi-zone fire detection with non-toxic suppressant deployment in 5 specific cabin sections

• Communication Failure: 4 independent communication systems including S-band, X-band, laser, and emergency beacons

• Engine Malfunction: Automated engine isolation and switchover to backup propulsion within 2 seconds

• Hardware Testing: 10,000+ hours of component-level testing under extreme conditions

• Software Validation: 5,000+ simulated mission scenarios with failure mode analysis

• Crew Training: 1,500 hours of emergency response procedures per crew member

• Launch Abort Testing: 25 successful demonstration tests of the escape system

SpaceX maintains continuous monitoring of all safety systems through a dedicated mission control team with real-time telemetry analysis capability. The integrated safety architecture meets or exceeds NASA human spaceflight certification standards across 144 specific safety requirements.

The Dear Moon mission transforms commercial space tourism through three key innovations: accessible lunar travel, enhanced spacecraft capacity and advanced life support systems. SpaceX's Starship accommodates 8-12 passengers in a 1,000 cubic meter pressurized cabin, establishing new benchmarks for civilian space missions.

Space tourism revenues show significant growth potential with the introduction of lunar missions:

Year	Projected Revenue (USD)	Number of Space Tourists
2024	$1.7 billion	47
2025	$3.4 billion	95
2026	$5.8 billion	183

Starship's innovations create ripple effects across the space tourism industry:

• Enhanced life support systems sustain 12 passengers for 10 days
• Automated docking capabilities enable orbital hotel connections
• Advanced thermal protection systems allow repeated lunar missions
• Integrated entertainment systems feature space-optimized interfaces

Private space ventures generate new revenue streams:

• Lunar photography sessions priced at $50,000 per hour
• Scientific research opportunities at $1.2 million per mission
• Corporate sponsorship packages ranging from $5-25 million
• Space-based media content production valued at $3 million per flight

Starship missions catalyze space tourism infrastructure:

• Orbital refueling stations positioned at key trajectory points
• Emergency rescue protocols with dedicated response vessels
• Global tracking network of 15 ground stations
• Specialized medical facilities for space traveler preparation

The mission establishes operational standards for future commercial space ventures through documented procedures refined during flight operations. These protocols create a framework for subsequent lunar tourism programs across multiple spacecraft platforms.

• SpaceX plans the "Dear Moon" mission to send 8 civilian passengers and crew members on a 6-day journey around the Moon using their Starship spacecraft
• The mission will cover approximately 384,400 kilometers, flying about 200 kilometers from the Moon's surface, with a total mission duration of 144 hours
• Starship features triple-redundant critical systems, advanced life support capabilities, and can accommodate up to 12 people with 1,000 cubic meters of habitable space
• Technical preparations include 33 Raptor engines, extensive testing of life support systems, heat shields, and launch infrastructure development at Starbase, Texas
• The dearMoon project received over 1 million applications from 249 countries, with crew selection focusing on artistic achievement and creative vision
• The mission is expected to significantly impact space tourism, with projected industry revenue growth from $1.7 billion in 2024 to $5.8 billion in 2026

SpaceX's Dear Moon mission represents a pivotal moment in human space exploration. While the exact launch date remains flexible the project continues to make substantial progress through rigorous testing and development phases.

The combination of advanced technology revolutionary safety systems and careful mission planning demonstrates SpaceX's commitment to making lunar tourism a reality. The successful completion of this mission will not only mark a historic achievement but also pave the way for regular civilian space travel beyond Earth's orbit.

As the Dear Moon project moves forward it stands as a testament to human ingenuity and the democratization of space travel. This ambitious venture promises to inspire future generations while pushing the boundaries of what's possible in commercial space exploration.