Since commercial space travel became bannered by companies like SpaceX as well as China's OneSpace, people wondered who would become the first passenger to hitch on a commercial spaceflight. Elon Musk announced humanity's first commercial space passenger-Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa.

The SpaceX chairman made the announcement about the online fashion retailer on Monday. The 42-year-old Maezawa will also become the first passenger onboard the Big Falcon Rocket, which was also unveiled during the event. Engadget highlighted that the rocket will be ready for its maiden mission in 2023, taking Maezawa-along with other private citizens on a trip to the Moon.

Maezawa grew up in Japan's Chiba prefecture. A natural artist, he had been a musician in high school before he discovered that he had a talent for selling things. He entered the retail industry by creating Japanese e-commerce startup Start Today, which sold various things-from his first passion, music (music albums) to clothing, Maezawa forged an empire en route to becoming a billionaire.

He has been hailed as Japan's 18th richest. He enjoys only the finest things in life, but he has a special place in his heart for art. To this end, he always keeps an eye out for pieces which attract his attention. He has a liking for modern art, even paying a record-making sum for a Basquiat 1982 piece aptly named "Untitled."

Maezawa, according to Space Daily, was instrumental for creating the Contemporary Art Foundation in Tokyo and was also hailed by ARTnews of New York as one of 2017's "Top 200 Collectors." While he insists that he is just an "ordinary collector" and, in turn, an ordinary man, there is nothing ordinary about his next undertaking-blazing a path for people who want to explore space as a commercial passenger on a spaceflight.

Maezawa shared his thoughts about becoming the first private citizen on the moon, saying that it had always been a childhood dream and one that "fuelled" the artist's imagination. It was also him who was instrumental in the selection of the other passengers, each from a different part of the world, to join him on the rocket to the moon.

He had also been a supporter of Elon Musk's SpaceX endeavors. He was one of those who congratulated SpaceX and its founder for the success of the Falcon Heavy rocket launch.