Japanese billionaire gets ready for December space mission

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “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.” Space Adventures, a Virginia-based company, has previously worked with Russian space officials to put several private clients in orbit. Maezawa noted that his list of 100 things to do during his time on board the International Space Station would include playing badminton in orbit with his Russian crewmate Misurkin. Currently on the station, Russian actor Yulia Peresild and film director Klim Shipenko are making the world’s first movie in orbit, a project the Kremlin said will help burnish the nation’s space glory. Peresild and Shipenko rocketed to orbit in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft on Oct. 5 for a 12-day stint on the station to film segments of the movie titled “Challenge,” in which a surgeon played by Peresild rushes to the space station to save a crew member who needs an urgent operation in orbit.