Japanese billionaire gets ready for December space mission

A forthcoming flight to space by a Japanese billionaire will let the public have a closer look at life on board the orbiting outpost

MOSCOW -- A forthcoming flight to space by a Japanese billionaire will allow the public to have a closer look at life on board the orbiting outpost, the president of Space Adventures, a company that organized the flight, said Friday.

Yusaku Maezawa is set to rocket to space on Dec. 8 on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft together with producer Yozo Hirano, who will film his mission, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin.

Tom Shelley, the president of Space Adventures, said Maezawa compiled a list of 100 things to do in space during a 12-day mission after asking the public for ideas.

“His intention is to try to share the experience of what it means to be in space with the general public,” Shelley said in an interview with The Associated Press, adding it will include “simple things about daily life to maybe some some other fun activities, to more serious questions as well.”