Elon Musk has long shared his vision of making life multi-planetary, with plans to build a self-sustaining city on Mars and eventually transport humans there. In a significant step toward realizing this dream, Musk recently announced that SpaceX is set to launch its first uncrewed Starship mission to Mars in just two years. This mission is scheduled to coincide with the next Earth-Mars transfer window, offering a prime opportunity for interplanetary travel.
Have you read Asimov’s Foundation books?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 7, 2024
They pose an interesting question: if you knew a dark age was coming, what actions would you take to preserve knowledge and minimize the length of the dark age?
For humanity, a city on Mars. Terminus.
Musk made the exciting revelation on Saturday, marking yet another milestone in SpaceX’s ambitious quest to expand humanity’s reach beyond Earth. Elon Musk explained that these initial Mars missions will be uncrewed to test the reliability of landing intact on the planet. If these landings prove successful, SpaceX plans to send the first crewed mission to Mars within the next four years.
Elon Musk has named the planned city on Mars “Terminus,” reflecting the ambitious goal of establishing a permanent human settlement on the Red Planet. Terminus is envisioned as a self-sustaining city, capable of supporting life independently from Earth. With SpaceX’s ongoing efforts and upcoming uncrewed mission to Mars, the dream of building Terminus on Mars is inching closer to reality.
Elon Musk says the first city on Mars will be named "Terminus." pic.twitter.com/PjX4Teksbi
— Dima Zeniuk (@DimaZeniuk) September 7, 2024
The Starship launch system, which consists of the upper Starship spacecraft and a powerful rocket booster called Super Heavy, is key to these mission to Mars. During a recent launch, 32 out of the rocket’s 33 engines ignited successfully, according to a SpaceX broadcast and a CNN report, showcasing the impressive capabilities of this cutting-edge technology.
The first Starships to Mars will launch in 2 years when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 7, 2024
These will be uncrewed to test the reliability of landing intact on Mars. If those landings go well, then the first crewed flights to Mars will be in 4 years.
Flight rate will… https://t.co/ZuiM00dpe9
The Starship vehicle achieved several key milestones during its test flight, demonstrating significant progress in SpaceX’s mission to Mars. Notably, the Starship capsule survived re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere during peak heating, a crucial test of its durability under extreme conditions. Additionally, both the capsule and the Super Heavy booster successfully splashed down, marking important steps in the development of reusable space technology.
These milestones bring SpaceX mission to Mars closer to realizing its goal of interplanetary travel and the establishment of a human presence on Mars. SpaceX’s Falcon rocket is already about 80% reusable, but the company is now focused on achieving full reusability for its Starship rocket. This advancement is seen as crucial to making space travel more affordable.
That’s the plan https://t.co/Ikg7tCt5S9
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 7, 2024
By reusing rockets, SpaceX can significantly reduce the cost of spaceflight, as building a new launch vehicle is the most expensive part of the process. Full reusability would not only lower costs but also allow for more frequent launches, accelerating progress toward Musk’s vision of making life multi-planetary.
SpaceX at a $200B valuation is severely undervalued, it’s not like Tesla where there is competition, in the space world, there is no company doing what they are doing today. pic.twitter.com/ASoWTdMNmy
— Teslaconomics (@Teslaconomics) September 7, 2024
The initial mission to Mars will focus on uncrewed landings, as Elon Musk emphasized the importance of testing and refining the technology. If these tests are successful, SpaceX aims to send crewed flights and mission to Mars within the next four years.
Musk further explained that the frequency of flights and mission to Mars will increase exponentially after that, with the ultimate goal of building a self-sustaining city on Mars within approximately 20 years. This ambitious timeline reflects Musk’s long-term vision of transforming humanity into a multi-planetary species.
The day when Elon Musk & SpaceX made history.
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) September 8, 2024
pic.twitter.com/tnENal5OJ5
With each milestone, SpaceX moves closer to turning the dream of a human presence on Mars into a reality. While challenges remain, Musk’s vision of building a self-sustaining city on the Red Planet via mission to Mars is no longer a distant fantasy. It’s a bold and inspiring step toward ensuring the future of humanity beyond Earth.
