Connecticut native to be part of 1st all-civilian crew to go to the moon

The dearMoon project is a privately funded mission that aims to send the first all-civilian crew to orbit the moon on a starship rocket.

News 12 Staff

Apr 29, 2023, 12:04 AM

Updated 535 days ago

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A Connecticut native will be a part of history when he goes on an all-civilian mission to the moon.
Brendan Hall, 28, is from Marlborough and is among the eight people selected to be a crew member on the dearMoon project.
The dearMoon project is a privately funded mission that aims to send the first all-civilian crew to orbit the moon on a starship rocket for seven days.
Hall is a filmmaker whose work centers around telling stories of nature, featuring mountains, national parks and night skies. He even has filmed timelapses of the moon.
Although one of his dreams may have been to go to space, he always viewed it as impossible.
Last week, Hall was at Boca Chica, Texas watching the SpaceX Starbase first flight test.
He says he saw a huge plume of fire and smoke that covered the rocket. After a few moments – he saw the starship rise.
However, the giant new rocket exploded minutes after blasting off and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico.
"Just to see Starship takeoff for the first time and go up into the air and rise above this plume of smoke we could see on the horizon. All of us were in tears. I think it was the first moment that we knew that this process is really going to happen," Hall said.
For Hall, it is one step closer to embracing everything that brought him to this point.
"I'm excited to represent Connecticut too, and my friends and family and everyone who has been part of my journey," he said.
There is no specific launch date for the dearMoon project mission.