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Yusaku Maezawa, Entrepreneur and First Private Japanese Citizen to Visit the ISS, Invests U.S. $23 Million in Astroscale
Tokyo, Japan, Feb. 27, 2023 – Astroscale Holdings Inc. (“Astroscale”), the market leader in satellite servicing and long-term sustainability across all orbits, has received an investment of U.S. $23 million from Yusaku Maezawa, the first private Japanese citizen to visit the International Space Station (ISS).
“Mr. Maezawa’s investment is a testament to the importance of space sustainability, and we are deeply grateful for his vision and commitment,” said Nobu Okada, Founder and CEO of Astroscale. “Astroscale’s mission to prevent the accumulation of space debris and to create a sustainable space environment aligns with Mr. Maezawa’s experience and passion for space travel and exploration.”
Maezawa is the first Japanese civilian to visit the ISS, where he spent 12 days in December 2021. This groundbreaking visit was only his first step into space. He is now preparing for the historic dearMoon mission, in which he will lead a crew of nine on the first civilian mission to fly around the Moon on a SpaceX Starship.
“As someone who has visited space, I understand the immense dangers posed by debris in orbit,” said Maezawa. “My second space trip is on the horizon, the dearMoon mission to fly around the moon, and I expect similar types of space travel will become more common. I want to protect the future of space travel, so I’ve decided to contribute to Astroscale’s mission to reduce orbital debris.”
Since its founding in 2013, Astroscale has been committed to the sustainable, responsible and cost-effective use of space. The funds raised through its Series G round will support the continued development of world-leading technologies, global expansion and increased supply capacity to meet growing demand.
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