Ex-BIGBANG T.O.P’s Participation in DearMoon Project Canceled, Will Not Go to the Moon

On June 1st, the dearMoon project announced on their official account that they regretfully must cancel their first private circum-lunar flight project, “dearMoon”. They expressed their gratitude to all those who have shown their support and apologized to those who were eagerly anticipating the project.

Despite his involvement as a crew member, T.O.P also expressed his gratitude on his personal account for the conceptualization of the “dearMoon”project by Mr. Yusaku Maezawa, despite its unfortunate cancellation.

He stressed the significance of the art project, stating that it was the most magnificent and stunning undertaking for the advancement of humanity that no one could have conceived. He also marveled at the bravery it took to embark on such a mission, and declared that his dream was far from being fulfilled.

He expressed, “Being chosen as a member of the ‘dearMoon’ crew was an immense privilege that I will always cherish. I am grateful for the opportunities and friendships that have come my way through this journey. Since joining ‘dearMoon’ a few years ago, I have felt a profound and personal connection with the moon, which has already sparked numerous musical creations. The moon’s presence in space has and will forever feed my soul and imbue me with endless meaning and creativity.”

Finally, T.O.P declared, “My desire to journey to the moon remains unfulfilled. It remains the ultimate and most significant objective of my existence, an official aspiration, and a central purpose for my life. I feel a profound sense of duty towards all those who have encouraged and backed me throughout this journey, and I am determined to make them proud.”

In 2022, T.O.P revealed his involvement in the dearMoon project, which is a lunar tourism venture started by SpaceX, led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The goal of the project was to complete the first private flight around the moon with a team of eight, including T.O.P. The plan was for the crew to orbit the moon for approximately one week on a spacecraft created by SpaceX.

Despite announcing in November of last year that the dearMoon project would not be able to launch in late 2023 due to ongoing spacecraft development, the project was ultimately cancelled after approximately six months.