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Moon Mission Dream Shattered by Starship Failure
11 Nov
Summary
- Civilian selected for SpaceX Starship Moon mission after 2023 test flight exploded.
- dearMoon Project, funded by Yusaku Maezawa, was canceled in mid-2024 via Zoom.
- The author's career and identity were deeply impacted by the project's cancellation.
A civilian selected for a SpaceX Starship mission around the Moon experienced a life-altering journey when the project, funded by Yusaku Maezawa, was ultimately canceled. The author, chosen in 2021 for the dearMoon Project, found their life consumed by the prospect of space travel.
In April 2023, the author witnessed a SpaceX Starship test flight from South Padre Island, Texas. Four minutes into the launch, the vehicle experienced a 'Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly,' breaking apart in the air and causing significant damage to the launchpad.
Unbeknownst to attendees at the time, this event foreshadowed issues within the dearMoon Project. In mid-2024, participants received an email for a Zoom call announcing the project's cancellation, a blow that profoundly impacted the author's identity and career.
This experience is now reflected in the author's 'Rhi-Entry' art project, which explores themes of ambition, risk, and the structural abuses of power, drawing parallels to the myth of Icarus. The project also challenges perceptions of who gets to go to space.
