Elon Musk’s space colonisation plan, with a colony on Mars, is taking shape and it is mind-blowing 🤯🤯🤯😳:
The Starship “spacecraft is being designed with the plan of flying it for an average of 3 flights per day, each carrying over 100 tons per flight, for a total of over 1,000 flights per year per vehicle.”
“Goal of hitting 1,000 in total in service over the course of the next decade, which can transport as much as 100 megatons per year in cargo, or about 100,000 people ‘per Earth-Mars orbital sync’ in terms of human passengers”.
“Once every 26 months approximately 1,000 ships will all depart over the course of 30 days for their Mars transit.”
“SpaceX’s goal is to ultimately send one million people to Mars by 2050”.
“Each Starship will have a target useful life of around 20 to 30 years – similar to commercial aircraft today.”
Yeah I know, this is all on “Elon time” – so expect this to happen later.
It is a pivotal time in humanity’s history though.
And worth remembering the first American colonies were organised, staffed, and supported as private commercial ventures.
If I can, I am seriously considering being part of the first colons to Mars.
You?
Update following comments that we should solely focus on preserving Earth instead:
- 100% agree that our primary focus should be preserving Earth. It is the only habitat for which the human species is specifically built (evolved) for.
- I do not see the issue though if 99% of humans focus on Earth and the here and now (long way to go still!), while 1% focuses on the human species’ legacy and expansion in cosmos.
- current population growth is not sustainable on the “limited” space provided by Earth.
- space has infinitely more energy and resources that could be used on Earth vs. depleting it from it.
- all depends what outlook you take. Earth has maximum 4 billion years left (because by then the Sun will have expanded and wiped out Earth), though any cosmic event anytime before that could reduce that lifespan (eg comet – remember the big and strong dinosaurs?). Being a multi-planetary species ensures survival of the species. And survival of the species is ingrained in us.
- commonly Elon Musk is criticised for his space exploration and colonisation plans, though he has done (is doing) more for Earth preservation than most (cue Tesla/Solarcity). He is working harder than most on *both* Plan A and Plan B!
- the human species is a conqueror and curious. It’s in our DNA. That is how we got to where we are. Else most of us wouldn’t be here, and everyone would just inhabit Africa.
- at first, it would only be a small percent of humans going. In 1000s of years, humans could be majoritarily living elsewhere.
- Mars is the closest planet to Earth, in terms of distance and habitability. Though it is not a dream planet, and resembles more Earth’s deserts than sunny beaches and green landscapes. Technology could allow us to make it (or other planets) more habitable, or even help us discover other Earth-like planets. There are 800 billions-2 trillions planets in the Milky Way alone (depending on who you believe)! And 2 trillions galaxies beyond that!.