How crazy is SpaceX's moon mission?

Unlike during the Cold War, the competition now is between start-up firms

If all goes as planned, two tourists will crawl into a space capsule at the end of next year and blast off for a weeklong trip to the moon and back. It’s the ultimate couple’s vacation, offered exclusively by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which announced the venture last week. It may also serve as the starting gun for a new and very different space race.

Unlike during the Cold War, the competition this time around isn’t between countries. Instead, it’s between start-up companies like SpaceX, on the one hand, and government space agencies and traditional contractors on the other. The immediate prize