Japanese Billionaire Maezawa Cancels Moon Flyby Mission

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, who returned to Earth last month after a 12-day journey into space, attends a news conference after returning to Japan, at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, in Tokyo, Japan January 7, 2022. (Reuters)
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, who returned to Earth last month after a 12-day journey into space, attends a news conference after returning to Japan, at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, in Tokyo, Japan January 7, 2022. (Reuters)
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Japanese Billionaire Maezawa Cancels Moon Flyby Mission

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, who returned to Earth last month after a 12-day journey into space, attends a news conference after returning to Japan, at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, in Tokyo, Japan January 7, 2022. (Reuters)
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, who returned to Earth last month after a 12-day journey into space, attends a news conference after returning to Japan, at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, in Tokyo, Japan January 7, 2022. (Reuters)

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa cancelled his "dearMoon" mission, which the project said was to have been the first private flight around the moon, the mission announced on Saturday.

The team had originally aimed to make the circumlunar flight with celebrities on board by the end of last year but that became "unfeasible", the mission said in a statement on its website.

"Without clear schedule certainty in the near-term, it is with a heavy heart that Maezawa made the unavoidable decision to cancel the project," it said. "To all who have supported this project and looked forward to this endeavor, we sincerely appreciate it and apologize for this outcome."

The statement gave no further details on the cause of the cancellation.

Elon Musk's SpaceX named Maezawa, the colorful founder of Japanese online fashion store Zozo Inc, its first private passenger in 2018.

Three years later he was the first private passenger to visit the International Space Station in more than a decade, launching on a Soyuz rocket.

In 2022, Maezawa announced that K-pop star TOP and DJ Steve Aoki would be among the eight crew members he planned to take on the dearMoon mission.

In November he said the flyby mission would be delayed until this year or later.



Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid University Ranks 11th in Arab World in QS Arab Rankings for 2025

Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid University Ranks 11th in Arab World in QS Arab Rankings for 2025
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Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid University Ranks 11th in Arab World in QS Arab Rankings for 2025

Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid University Ranks 11th in Arab World in QS Arab Rankings for 2025

Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid University secured a prestigious position in the QS Arab Region University Rankings 2025, placing 11th among 246 universities from across the Arab world and 4th among 34 Saudi universities.

The achievement underscores the university's dedication to excellence in higher education, research, and international collaboration.

King Khalid University Acting President Dr. Saad bin Mohammed bin Dajam expressed pride in the university's progress, emphasizing its role in contributing to the sustainable development of the Aseer region.

The achievements are due to the university's 2030 strategy, which is closely tied to the Aseer Region Development Strategy and the broader goals of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, he stressed, according to the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.

The university, he said, focuses on advancing its academic and research sectors to serve the community and build strong international partnerships.

Vice-Rector for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Dr. Hamed bin Majdou Al-Qarni highlighted the significant strides the university made in scientific research, and global cooperation, reaffirming the university's commitment to improving its international standing by fostering innovative research, expanding its network of international collaborations, and offering high-quality academic programs.