Tom Cruise is reportedly going to space. “What for?”, you’d ask. The answer: To shoot a film. As per a report by Hackaday, the Mission Impossible and Top Gun star would be flying to the International Space Station (ISS) in October 2021 aboard a SpaceX spacecraft helmed by NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria. For now, accompanying Cruise would be director Doug Liman. The report is based on a tweet by Space Shuttle Almanac, who tagged NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria in the tweet.

As per the report, Michael Lopez-Alegria “currently holds the American record for number and duration of extravehicular activities (EVAs).” Axiom Space, the company that has been planning to send privately funded flights to the International Space Station, is behind organising this mission.
According to the report, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine confirmed the project some months back. While some may see the mission as a waste of resources on film actors, Bridenstine has positive things to say. The report quotes Jim Bridenstine as saying that he was inspired from Top Gun to become a Navy Pilot. The report adds Bridenstine saying that if Top Gun could inspire kids back then, why couldn’t Tom Cruise on the ISS inspire the next Elon Musk?
There is one more spot to be filled which is rumoured to be given to the female lead in the film. The title of the film is also unknown yet. The liftoff is still a year away.