As a dearMoon crew candidate
You know the old saying:
‘Tis a lesson you should heed, try, try again. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
Thomas H. Palmer, American educator
Well, here I am, trying to get off the planet again. I just applied to be part of the crew on the dearMoon project. (This saying was originally said to get kids to do their homework way back in the 1800s.)
The dearMoon project is one of the first space tourism missions. Strangely enough, over 20 years ago, on our previous version of this website, our columnist Brook wrote a series called “To The Stars” about her hopes to one day go to space with the new space tourism industry. Since then, I joined the Mars One project. And only just last month, my name arrived on Mars aboard NASA’s Pesevereance Rover. And there are plans to open a space hotel by 2027. I think space tourism has finally arrived.
A new space tourism art project — Yes, ART PROJECT — has been conceived and financed by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa aka MZ. (After reading more about him, I think we are like soul brothers. If I had a billion dollars, I’d do the same thing.) MZ’s hopes the experience of space tourism will inspire the passengers to create works of art that help promote peace across the world. (Damn, as if that isn’t what I’ve been doing for years!)
The dearMoon project will make use of a SpaceX Starship on a private spaceflight flying a single circumlunar trajectory around the Moon. (“Circumlunar” is a word I hope I get to use more often.) The passengers will be Maezawa, 8 civilians, and one or two crew members.
Why is space tourism a good idea?
This is a question that I’ve struggled with before. Why — especially in this age of global warming — why would a sightseeing trip around the Moon even be a good idea? Answer: I think the human spirit has a need to aspire to be more, and what could be more inspirational than going to the Moon and back!? This won’t just inspire the crew; I think this would inspire all of humanity. I think humans need hope like a donkey needs a carrot to keep moving forward. As we run out of room and resources on this planet, we need hope more than ever. And, there are other practical reasons: It would unite many countries and cultures to work together. How often does this happen? And, it will require the creation of technologies that haven’t yet existed and that can be used for many other purposes. And, perhaps, most importantly, it will be a big step in humans colonizing Mars, which you could call our Planet B. Get it? Plan B. Hopefully, this adventure will help get Planet A to work.
Why do I want to be an astronaut?
As for my inspiration, as I say in my dearMoon application below: To see the “pale blue dot… a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam,” as Sagan refers to the Earth, to see the whole of the Earth in one glimpse that took me four years to see on a bicycle, I think would be as close to meeting god as one could come. Like my previous trip around the Earth, that experience would be my muse to convey more stories and lessons. I would use the spotlight to bring my lessons to every school across the globe, and the children would be able to stand on my shoulders and achieve even greater things. I have long said, “If I can bicycle around the world, imagine what you could do.” And, I hope to say, “If I can fly to the Moon and back, you can fly to the stars and keep on going.”
Well, if I don’t qualify for this one, I don’t know what I’m qualified for. Wish me luck!
For more info, check out their website: dearMoon and watch the video below. I hope to have many more updates.
My application for the first round of the dearMoon project
If you know me, you probably know a lot of this stuff. I just want to say again how surprised I am that my values match up with Maezawa and the dearMooon project. My application is a short version of my personal mission and vision. If I don’t make the next round, I’m going to really regret not having done a better job with the words below. Keep your fingers crossed.
Q1 : Tell us about a project/activity you feel passionate about.
A1: My claim to fame is that I rode a bicycle around the world seeking the meaning of life and happiness. (4 years, 41,444 Kilometers, 59 Countries, 6 Continents and 4 moments of enlightenment.) And, I was honored to be a Cultural Ambassador for the US Department of State. Since then, I have spent over a decade sharing what I have learned using my books, interviews and talks. When I met child psychologist Dr Sara Williams, we turned these lessons into a workbook and website to teach children how to dream and how to turn their dreams into reality. (Our book is published by the American Psychological Association in both English and Chinese and is now part of the curriculum at Cincinnati Public Schools.) To do that, we use an easy, 3-step formula. 1) Dream it! 2) Map it! 3) Play it! In other words, find your passion, plan your adventure, and have fun doing it, which requires learning how to overcome obstacles like fear and doubt. This basic concept gives kids (and adults) all the tools they need to live an awesome life. Disclaimer: I apologize if this sounds like I am just trying to sell books. I truly believe that if everyone was living their dream, the world would be a perfect place because all our dreams work together, hand-in-hand, like peanut butter and jelly. This project has been a labor of love, and my biggest reward is seeing kids and adults living their dreams and making the world a better place.
Q2: By taking part in dearMoon how will your project/activity evolve and how will you be able to contribute to society?
A2: This trip with dearMoon would further this project in many ways. First, to see the “pale blue dot… a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam,” as Sagan refers to the Earth, to see the whole of the Earth in one glimpse that took me four years to see on a bicycle, I think would be as close to meeting god as one could come. That experience would be my muse to convey more stories and lessons. And, to be forthright, I never wanted to be in the spotlight (I do what I do for the love of it), but the spotlight has given me the platform I need for my message to be heard. I would use the spotlight to bring my lessons to every school across the globe, and the children would be able to stand on my shoulders and achieve even greater things. I have long said, “If I can bicycle around the world, imagine what you could do.” And, I hope to say, “If I can fly to the Moon and back, you can fly to the stars and keep on going.” Together with dearMoon, we will not only launch humanity into space but into the future of our species where we cooperate as a whole to achieve things never before imagined.
For more information, please visit my website for children, parents, teachers and healthcare providers: Dreamaplay.com.
And, please visit my personal website with stories of my adventures. I’m proud to recently have my name land on Mars aboard the Perseverance Rover: ScottStoll.com
