T.O.P, a former member of the group Big Bang, has expressed his stance on the cancellation of the Dear Moon Project.
On the 1st, the Dear Moon Project team announced through their official account, “Regrettably, the first civilian lunar orbit project, Dear Moon, has been canceled. We thank everyone who supported us during this time.”
T.O.P, who was a crew member of the project, also shared on his personal account, “As you may have heard, the Dear Moon Project has unfortunately been canceled,” and added, “However, I am deeply grateful to Mr. Yusaku Maezawa for conceptualizing the Dear Moon Project.”
He continued, “This was the greatest and most beautiful art project for the advancement of humanity that no one in the world could have imagined, and the courage to attempt this mission was truly an extraordinary sight to behold. My dream will never end.”
He added, “Being selected as a crew member was one of the greatest honors of my life. I am filled with gratitude for the experiences and friendships gained through this process. During my years with the Dear Moon Project, I felt my body and soul develop a deep, direct connection with the moon. This connection with the moon and space has already inspired me to compose much new music. The moon nourishes my soul and will forever fill it with meaning and inspiration.”
Finally, T.O.P stated, “My dream of traveling to the moon has not ended. It has become the ultimate and greatest goal of my life, an official challenge, and the core mission of my life. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to everyone who supported and encouraged me through this process.”
Previously, T.O.P had announced in 2022 that he would participate in the Dear Moon Project, a lunar tourism project by SpaceX, the American space exploration company founded by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla. The project aimed to achieve the first civilian lunar flight, with T.O.P and eight other crew members scheduled to participate. The plan involved a week-long trip orbiting the moon aboard a spacecraft developed by SpaceX.
However, in November of last year, the Dear Moon Project stated, “Initially, the goal was to launch by the end of 2023, but due to the ongoing development of the spacecraft, the launch will not take place this year.”
Source: nate
