There will be a 'tour' around the Moon by rocket soon

SpaceX will send two private customers around the Moon in 2018 on its Falcon Heavy rocket.

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The Dragon spacecraft can operate autonomously for most of its flight. Photo: SpaceX.

The private aerospace company SpaceX founded by billionaire Elon Musk will use the Falcon Heavy rocket andDragon spacecraftto send the first two passengers into space,Live Sciencereport

Two unnamed private customers have paid a large deposit for the flight, Musk said on February 27. The names will be announced after preliminary health checks to ensure they are fit to fly.

"Like the Apollo astronauts before them, these individuals will fly into space carrying the hopes and dreams of humanity, motivated by the spirit of space exploration," SpaceX representatives shared.

The two passengers will be the only people on board the Dragon spacecraft for the week-long trip around the moon. "This trip will be a long journey around the moon. It will skim the surface of the moon, go a little deeper into deep space and come back to Earth. I would estimate the distance could be between 500,000 and 650,000 kilometers," Musk said.

The lunar mission is scheduled to launch after SpaceX flies NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) under the Commercial Crew Program. SpaceX is planning to launch an unmanned flight to the ISS using its Dragon spacecraft this year. Musk said the first crewed flight would take place in mid-2018.

The Falcon Heavy rocket consists of a Falcon 9 rocket and two boosters. The Dragon spacecraft will operate largely autonomously, so passengers will undergo emergency training but will not be required to pilot the craft. The capsule will need further upgrades for the deep-space trip, primarily in its communications systems. Musk said the moon mission will contribute to SpaceX’s ultimate goal of establishing a permanent settlement on Mars.

According to VNE