Elon Musk reveals ambitious plans to get humans to Mars seven years ahead of NASA

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on February 1 revealed an ambitious plan to get humans on Mars by 2026, which is seven years before US space agency NASA aims to land astronauts on the Red planet. While speaking on the audio-only social media app Clubhouse, Musk said that his goal was to establish a self-sustaining Martian civilisation. For the first time, he mentioned a time-line and said that he will get humans on the Red Planet in “five and a half years”. 

Musk’s deadline seems little ambitious as there is a long way to go. SpaceX is still working to finalise the prototypes, with a second high-altitude test flight due soon. Even NASA aims to get first humans on the Red Planet in 2033. It is also worth mentioning that it currently takes at least six months to get to Mars, however, Musk believes that could be down to as little as a month, with flights operating every two years. 

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While speaking on Clubhouse, the SpaceX CEO went on to say that over time one can make Mars Earth-like by transforming the planet by warming it up. He said that the first colony will be a tiny, dangerous, “frontier-like” environment as they begin to establish propellant manufacturing, food production and power plants. He said that there are a number of technological advances that need to be made between now and 2026 before humans can travel to Mars on Starship. 

Further, when asked if he would allow his children to go to the Red planet on a future rocket trip, Musk said, “if we’re talking about the third or fourth set of landings on Mars I’d be ok with that”. He added that so far none of them are jumping to go to Mars. 

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SpaceX Mars mission 

Meanwhile, the latest 'SN9' Starship prototype is due to undergo a high altitude test flight in the coming days - similar to the test in December that ended in an explosion. The scientists are going to check how this prototype performs. SpaceX is aiming to launch the SN9 at the speed of 15 km, which is much higher than the speed used by any rocket to date. The previous three engine prototypes named Star hopper, SN5, SN6 attained a minimum altitude of 500 during the test flight. The test flights were conducted in the past year. Elon Musk wants to use his SpaceX mission to help humanity and also plans to create a "Colony of Humans" on Mars.

Back in November, the tech mogul had even said that he wants to make his own laws on the Red planet. Musk said that once SpaceX reaches Mars, it will colonize the planet as there are no “universal laws on the planet”. All Martian settlement will be dealt with using "self-governing principles”, Musk said in a document that lists Terms of Service of its Starlink internet project, declaring himself the governing entity in space. Further, the rocket company's satellite-based internet service, Starlink suggests that it will not recognize the land-based international law that governs Earth on the red planet. 

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