---
title: "The Guy Who Bought a SpaceX Ticket to the Moon Is Broke"
description: "Yusaku Maezawa, the man expected to be SpaceX's first Moon passenger, says he \"has no money\" and is now selling art from his personal collection."
date: "2019-05-07"
modified: "2019-05-07"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-first-moon-passenger-broke"
categories:
  - "Astronomy"
  - "Moon"
  - "Space"
  - "SpaceX"
tags:
  - "elon musk"
  - "moon"
  - "SpaceX"
  - "the digest"
---

# The Guy Who Bought a SpaceX Ticket to the Moon Is Broke

![Yusaku Maezawa, the man expected to be SpaceX's first Moon passenger, says he "has no money" and is now selling art from his personal collection.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/spacex-first-moon-passenger-broke.png>)
*\<em\>Image: SpaceX\</em\>*

## State of the Art

In October, Yusaku Maezawa slapped down what [Elon Musk called](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-moon-bfr-passenger>) a "significant deposit" to be SpaceX's first Moon passenger. Right about now, though, the Japanese fashion tycoon might be wondering if that deposit was refundable.

On Sunday, Maezawa [announced](<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-05/zozo-ceo-maezawa-to-sell-some-of-his-art-collection-at-sotheby-s>) he'd be auctioning off several pieces from his personal art collection this month, later [tweeting](<https://twitter.com/yousuck2020/status/1124702413347123200>), "Yes, I have no money" — a bit of news that could have a devastating impact on SpaceX's Moon mission.

## Fluctuating Finances

Maezawa is a notoriously reckless spender, casually dropping millions on everything from paintings to private jets, according to a *Bloomberg* [story](<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-07/billionaire-jokes-i-have-no-money-as-he-sells-art-lends-stock>). He's also seen his net worth decline dramatically in recent years, from an estimated [$4 billion](<https://observer.com/2019/05/yusaku-maezawa-elon-musk-spacex-moon-tourist-runs-out-of-money/>) in 2016 to somewhere around $1.4 billion nowadays.

In September, [Musk said](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-moon-bfr-passenger>) the rocket for the Moon trip, which is currently scheduled for a 2023 launch, will probably cost $5 billion to develop but could run SpaceX as much as $10 billion in total.

In other words, if the company is relying on its first Moon passenger to finance a large portion of that — beyond the undisclosed amount Maezawa already deposited — the billionaire's dwindling finances could deal a major blow to the mission.

**READ MORE:** [Billionaire Jokes ‘I Have No Money’ as He Sells Art, Lends Stock](<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-07/billionaire-jokes-i-have-no-money-as-he-sells-art-lends-stock>) \[*Bloomberg*\]

**More on SpaceX:** *[SpaceX’s First Tourist Isn’t Worried About Training for His Trip to the Moon](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/maezawa-spacex-moon>)*

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)