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Japanese tycoon takes off for International Space Station

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Peter NeilToday  01:22 am JST

More quotes:

“I feel like an elementary school student about to go on an outing,” Maezawa said at a news conference before the launch.

So he has a childlike wonder and curiosity about going to space. Few people have done so up to date and it's a dream many of us have. What's wrong with chasing your dreams?

Peter NeilToday  12:34 am JST

One of his "projects" is see what happens playing Pokemon in space.

You can't make this stuff up.

Would you rather see him building these bloated vanity projects and corrupt materialistic enterprizes of greed, corruption, vices, pornography, big ego and then attempt to run a nation? Would you rather see him step on people and act like an arrogant tin god? You know, like T---- the Chump? Give Maezawa a break, he's not hurting anyone and this mission can also be an oppotunity for learning - scientifically and otherwise. And the same goes for William Shatner/Captain James Tiberius Kirk too.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

hattorikunDec. 8  05:49 pm JST

Good for him. He can do whatever he wants with his money. Have a safe trip!

Give him a break and give william Shatner one too. Admit it, we'd all love to do this. And maybe by the time we reach Shatner's age we will. We can all be like Han Solo.

HiroDec. 8  08:54 pm JST

Kinda envious. Have fun and have a safe travel. Space travel use to be a big dream for many kids many decades ago when space travel was still new. These days it kinda lost it's luster. Hope this inspire more people again in space.

It's getting so commonplace now but we've only started, there's so much more to see and explore. These Mars missions this year are teaching us a lot. It's progress. We need this. Space exploration has altered our lives better in the fields of microwave ovens, medicines, astronomy and more.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Billionaires go on the moon zerolionaire complain on social media and news comments... Everyone kills time like they can lol!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

This is hillarious, Maezawa wrote "I would like to look at the Earth from space. I would like to experience the opportunity to feel weightlessness," Maezawa said during a pre-flight news conference on Tuesday. "And I also have a personal expectation: I'm curious how the space will change me, how I will change after this space flight." If this guy has any clue about the effects of how weightlessness will feel. He should be careful of what he wish for because he will get the full effect when he return. He will not be able to walk off on his own, he will be carried off, after a few days in space and not using your muscles they become almost useless in z-g. This is why we require our astronauts to ride a bicycle and exercise and still that is not enough. He will be so disorientated it will take days if not months to recover. Ask me how I know I was part of a crew to help the astronauts get ready for flight at Cape Canaveral and be on site in the desert during landing and recovery. The television crew was always on hand to welcome their arrival back to land but all they ever saw was a van pulling up obstructing their view as the crew was checked by doctors and then carried off, NOT WALKING OFF for recovery.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

More quotes:

“I feel like an elementary school student about to go on an outing,” Maezawa said at a news conference before the launch.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

One of his "projects" is see what happens playing Pokemon in space.

You can't make this stuff up.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Apparently for some people here, the only news worth reporting is about being miserable or suffering. For me it's a great news that even billionaires are still human, with curiosity, dreams and guts for traveling to space.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Why is this news?????

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Blissfully unaware of the real world from which he is escaping momentarily. Guffawing buffoon.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

never know, he could even help mend ties between JP and Russia!!

I wouldn't bet on that

2 ( +3 / -1 )

guy looks wierd and is a massive narcissist, but if he's trip gets more people interested in space and science, then that's definitely a positive outcome. never know, he could even help mend ties between JP and Russia!!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Some people lost their jobs, barely make ends meet, struggling to put food on table. And here the rich people are spending money on unnecessary trips to space.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Reminds of the scene in Rollerball, where the rich folk are torching trees with a flamethrower - the point being, their notions of entertainment are an affront to nature and to we the commoners. Even 'outer space' is simply a romper room for their amusement and damn the costs, not simply in terms of dollars, but destruction of resources and the environment, simply for their pleasure, as it is an entitlement.

https://youtu.be/WCunwzlr8ro

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Seriously who cares about SPACE its inhabittable, Nasa can do all the reseach with our tax dollars it brings nothing to the table. Only thin Nasa needs to be eyeing is for incoming astroids that could end our earth like the dinosaurs. Space programs are all nothing but geeks who wanna have fun in space i dont see any merits to it. Just please monitor our earth surounds for foreign invaders and objects and thats really what we need. No way in humans will ever be able to travel at the speed of light or warp from space to space like you see in movies under holly wood.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

its definity an old rich man gig who has money to go into space at least they got to do something we the majority will never be able to. To me this is just Bragging news for these peeps. Every man who anounce he going to tour space is will be on the news like its BREAKING NEWS! infact not is just bragging and wanting to get known and fame.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

So, ISS now become five star hotel for rich tourists.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Kinda envious. Have fun and have a safe travel. Space travel use to be a big dream for many kids many decades ago when space travel was still new. These days it kinda lost it's luster. Hope this inspire more people again in space.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

no masks

2 ( +5 / -3 )

“Tycoon” @Yubaru 6:39ppm may have migrated from China to Japan but was anglicized by foreigners and used to refer to “a great, important person or leader” at the end of the Tokugawa era. Perhaps it eventually evolved to refer to to those accumulating great wealth from the Industrial Revolution forward. Agree - Not sure if billionaire entrepreneur & art collector Yusaku Maezawa qualifies for the originally intended meaning.

@Yubaru 6:39pm: “Who, besides here, actually uses the word "tycoon" now a days to describe a wealthy businessman or business woman?

Seems like a long outdated word.” -

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Who, besides here, actually uses the word "tycoon" now a days to describe a wealthy businessman or business woman?

Seems like a long outdated word.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

What the point this is just a rich man gig club

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

An inspiration to so many kids who may someday become pilots and astronaut.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Come on, don't tell me you'd not do the same if you had his money.

The only reason I ever get in a plane is because there's no other practical way to get where I'm going.

Never mind if I had his money, you couldn't pay me enough to let myself be shot into space.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Good for him. He can do whatever he wants with his money. Have a safe trip!

9 ( +13 / -4 )

The two week quarantine back in Japan will allow for the social media accounts to get nicely filled…

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Come on, don't tell me you'd not do the same if you had his money.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Almost as pointless as Russians recently sending a film crew to the ISS

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Very nice, congrats Japan!

-4 ( +8 / -12 )

Happy for him, but not genuinely.

After Maezawa's tricks and contests and twitter hype, this just seems like another marketing trick to get more famous and kakkoii.

3 ( +10 / -7 )

I can still hear him say "I choose to go to the moon!". He can't make it that far this time. Maybe Musk will help him out one day and he can stay there, no need to comeback...

-11 ( +3 / -14 )

What a sad rich person taking happy photos!

0 ( +9 / -9 )

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