SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveils Mars colonization plan

Base Buildup

Elon Musk known as tech enthusiast founder of SpaceX and Lead Designer announced the most ambitious plan i.e. colonization of planets and satellites beyond Earth, at International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide, Australia. Main focus of Mr Musk was establishment of a lunar base, and Supporting the creation of a permanent, self-sustaining Mars colony by 2022.

Musk during keynote said “The future is vastly more exciting and interesting if we're a space-faring species than if we’re not,”. “Also we should never stop believing that future will be better than the past.”

To fulfill the plan company will focus mainly on one giant rocket, codenamed The SpaceX BFR. It  will replace the existing Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Dragon models, to allow for the service of both the International Space Station and interplanetary missions. The timetable for Mars mission is imminent. Musk plans to land minimum 2 cargo ships on red planet by 2022, then using robotics it will begin setting up power, mining and life support infrastructure while confirming water resources and potential hazards for human survival.

By 2024, Musk plans to land 2 ships carrying humans to the Mars for the first time. They will build propellant production plant, which would power rockets for return journey from earth. Also they will begin preparing the base for expansion. Thus over time more ships carrying cargo and humans will land thus expanding base for human survival. Plan is to make million people to live on Red Planet by 2050.

Moon Base illustration

All this will be possible with Space X BFR rocket capable of attaining speed of 27000 km/h. This rocket will replace all the existing rockets SpaceX use. Rocket with all its stages will be re-usable thus cutting the cost tremendously. To cope up with the cost company will gather money by launching satellites and sending crew to International space station. The money will be used for its future Mars and Moon mission.

SpaceX said it would first establish a base on the moon and BFR rocket will come back form moon without the need of re-fueling. For Mars mission rocket would launch from earth then another rocket carrying fuel would be launched and in Orbit they will refuel the rocket moving forward to mars. After refueling the rocket would continue its journey towards mars.

It’s a big freaking plan and Elon wants to make it a reality. Also Elon mentioned Earth to Earth transport system, which would make travel anywhere in earth in less than 1 hour. So all this is close to becoming a reality and in 7 years we would have a first man to step on Mars.