Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, has revealed a timeline to land spacecraft on Mars, with the ultimate goal of creating a human settlement on the red planet.
The plan begins with uncrewed Starship missions in 2026, aligning with the next favorable Earth-Mars positioning.
These early missions will focus on testing the spacecraft's landing capabilities and resolving safety issues before humans make the journey, which could occur between 2028 and 2030.
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Musk believes that becoming a multi-planetary species is crucial for the long-term survival of human consciousness. He stated:
Flight rate will grow exponentially from there, with the goal of building a self-sustaining city in about 20 years. Being multiplanetary will vastly increase the probable lifespan of consciousness, as we will no longer have all our eggs, literally and metabolically, on one planet.
However, significant challenges remain, particularly the high cost of transporting materials to Mars. Musk estimates it currently costs about $1 billion per ton, a figure that must decrease to $100,000 per ton to support a self-sustaining Martian city. This would require a 10,000-fold increase in efficiency, a challenge Musk sees as achievable.
One potential solution to improve space logistics could involve blockchain technology. NASA research suggests blockchain could help manage and verify satellite communications, an area where SpaceX, with its Starlink network controlling over 62% of active low-Earth orbit satellites, is already positioned to lead.
Overall, Musk's vision of a human city on Mars within two decades depends on technological advances and cost reductions that could revolutionize space travel.
In other news, Starlink confirmed it would block access to X in Brazil after the court's suspension order.
