Loving to the Moon

Always dreamt of a fairy-tale proposal? Beginning March 2022, you can propose to your loved one while flying around the Moon. Not without spending a fortune on it, though. A staggering US $145 million is what one needs to shell out to avail this service by French company ApoteoSurprise.

Flights take off from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida and last for one week. Frank Sinatra's song "Fly Me to the Moon" will play halfway through, which signals the timing of the proposal. The engagement ring is secretly hidden in the spacesuit!

After the couple registers on the website www.proposeinparis.com, it needs to undergo medical tests and a physical condition assessment followed by 12 weeks of pre-requisite technical and physical training before they head for the journey.

The planned route of the space capsule will follow the path of the Apollo 8 mission that was launched in 1968. Three days after the take-off, the couple will be orbiting the Moon at an altitude of 200-300 km. That is the closest the couple would get to the Moon. Landing is not included.

All communication with Earth will cut off for around 30 minutes while the capsule flies over the dark side of the Moon. The spacecraft, travelling at a speed of up to 38,000 km/h, will be equipped with eight cameras to capture the engagement. The couple will also see a spectacular Earthrise from behind the lunar craters.

There is also an insurance cover. But, what if she says "No"!