Is Elon Musk’s Plan For Manned Mission to Mars Is Finally Becoming A Reality?
On March 14th, 2002, Elon Musk founded SpaceX to colonize Mars before 2054. Over the years, the aerospace company recorded several failures before succeeding with its first mission on December 23, 2008. From the onset, Elon Musk’s plan for manned mission to Mars has centered on launching hundreds of starships, humanoids, and astronauts to start the first human settlement on the red planet.
The tech billionaire has worked tirelessly to realize this vision, beginning with the successful development of several space vehicles that have flown astronauts to the International Space Station and beyond.
With the recent success of the Polaris Dawn crewed mission, SpaceX is certain that its EVA spacesuits will surely protect astronauts in the hostile environment of Mars. So, how is Elon Musk preparing to send humans to Mars?
You are about to find out, how the tech billionaire is getting ready to colonize Mars and possibly reach other distant worlds.
How Elon Musk’s Plan For Manned Mission To Mars Is Coming into a Reality
Elon Musk started his aerospace company with the development of the Falcon Rocket. Although these falcon rockets have sent humans to the International Space Station and beyond, Elon is aware that they are not capable enough to travel to distant locations like reaching the moon and Mars.
Hence, his aerospace company introduced the concept of Starship stacked atop super heavy booster in late 2012. After years of development and testing of these Starships, SpaceX considered them safe for an uncrewed orbital test flight. The first orbital test flight was conducted in April 2023.
Although that spaceflight ended in a disaster, SpaceX recorded some success. The aerospace company proceeded to conduct the second, and third test flights which ended in what the company called unscheduled disassembly.
But during the fourth orbital test flight on June 6, 2024, SpaceX recorded a greater success and celebrated the outcome of the spaceflight. Some of the achievements accomplished by SpaceX include safe reentry, controlled splashdown, and a lot more.
The fourth orbital test flight was so successful that the Federal Aviation Administration did not consider it necessary to investigate its outcome. The world celebrated the milestone. On October 13, 2024, SpaceX conducted the fifth test flight of the Starship.
During that space flight, the aerospace company recorded several levels of success including the safe return of the booster’s first stage caught by giant mechanical arms which SpaceX referred to as chopsticks. Many experts reveal that this innovative step is a great engineering feat that pushed spaceX further into building more reusable space vehicles for future crewed missions to the moon and Mars.
Elon Musk Mars Colonization Plan Starting With first Manned Mission to Mars
Elon Musk Mars plan began from the start of his aerospace company, SpaceX. The tech billionaire previously thought that his starship would be ready to conduct uncrewed spaceflights to Mars before 2024. However, several hurdles slowed the progress of the company.
But in September 2024, Musk wrote on X revealing how his aerospace company will launch the first uncrewed mission to Mars in 2026 when the launch window opens. He also revealed that SpaceX will launch astronauts to Mars in the next four years depending on the outcome of the first uncrewed mission.
This implies that we should be expecting the first crewed mission to Mars before 2030. Does this imply that Musk is getting closer to colonizing Mars? When it comes to Mars colonization, Musk has already made it clear that he will put about 1 million people in a self-sustaining city on Mars by 2050.
With the recent technological success of his starships, we are certain that Elon Musk will likely send humans to Mars and colonize the red planet. Having enough resources to power this Mars objective is important. The good news is that Musk is investing billions of his money into SpaceX.
The aerospace company is also making enough profit from launch services that they provide to private companies and government agencies. Hence, Musk definitely has the resources to colonize Mars. His aerospace company plans to build at least 1 starship per day to meet up with the future goals of Mars colonization.
How SpaceX will send starships to Mars
SpaceX plans to take the first uncrewed spacecraft to Mars in 2026 by launching five starships into orbit. Elon Musk made this announcement in September 2024 as he made an update concerning human mission to Mars.
The essence of launching five uncrewed starships to Mars is to increase the chances of experimenting and achieving a successful landing on Mars. These uncrewed spacecraft will arrive on Mars carrying cargo that will be beneficial to the first Martian astronauts who will be visiting Mars in the next four years.
They will fly for about 7 to 9 months and arrive on Mars in late 2026 or early 2027 depending on the launch date. Once they arrive in Mars orbit, SpaceX engineers will remotely attempt to land the spacecraft one after the other.
If the first starship to land on Mars fails, the team will deploy another creative strategy that will guarantee the successful landing of the remaining spacecraft. Elon Musk has already revealed that the success of this uncrewed mission will determine if SpaceX will proceed to launch astronauts to Mars before 2030.
How Elon Musk’s Mars movement will send the first Manned Mission to Mars before 2030
Elon Musk revealed his great ambition to land humans on Mars starting from the beginning of this century. In the last decade, he maintained his opinion attempting the first manned mission to Mars before 2030. In September 2024, he wrote on X about sending an uncrewed spacecraft to Mars in 2026 and sending humans before 2030.
Elon Musk’s Mars plan is already inspiring SpaceX to fasten the processes involved in getting the starships ready for this interesting trip to Mars. After the launch of the five starships to Mars in 2026, SpaceX engineers will dedicate most of their time to learning how the spaceships travel to Mars from that mission.
In 2027, after landing starships on Mars, the SpaceX team will take the knowledge they obtained from the first uncrewed and begin to prepare for the forthcoming crewed mission to the red planet. Before that time, SpaceX must have selected a special team of astronauts and engaged them with intense training to survive on the hostile environment of Mars.
The training will involve several simulations and many others. After the training, SpaceX will select a team of four astronauts and a team of other four astronauts for backup. Mars launch window often comes every 26 months. Based on Elon Musk’s prediction, the next launch window after 2026 will likely be between late 2028 and early 2029.
Hence, the team of the first Martian crew may be launched to Mars aboard a SpaceX starship within this period. Just as SpaceX will launch five starships for the uncrewed mission to Mars, the aerospace company will also launch five or more starships for the crewed mission. However, the astronauts will be in one of the spacecraft, while the rest will carry humanoid and supplies that the crew will depend on for survival.
Landing the Crew on Mars
After flying for months, the crew will safely land on Mars in a safe destination, achieving the first Elon Musk Mars colonization goal. SpaceX engineers will rely on the knowledge of the first uncrewed mission to achieve a safe touchdown on Mars.
Upon landing, the astronauts will dress in their EVA spacesuits and conduct the first spacewalk on the Martian Surface. The humanoid will help in setting up the inflatable dome which will house the astronaut throughout their stay on Mars.
The team will spend the next year experimenting with how humans will survive on the hostile environment of Mars in the future. SpaceX will rely on the knowledge of this mission to send more astronauts to the red planet in the future. The first astronauts will return to Earth during the next launch window. During this period, the second team will be on their way to continue the research.
How Elon Musk Plan for Manned Mission to Mars is Becoming a Reality
After achieving the first manned mission to Mars, Elon Musk and his aerospace company will be greatly celebrated across the world. SpaceX will focus more on its goals perfecting the goals of sustaining humans on the Martian surface in the early 2030s.
Before the end of the 2030s, the aerospace company will surely put more futuristic domes, EVA vehicles, and other fascinating technologies operating on Mars. Astronauts on Mars will also perfect the act of extracting water on Mars, learning how to grow plants on the red planet, and other innovative acts that would make Mars colonization possible.
Most scientists have proposed Vertical farming as one of the ways astronauts will grow crops on Mars in the future. Maybe, SpaceX astronauts will deploy some vertical farm ideas, in combination with other futuristic farming concerns. If SpaceX progresses fast enough, the first tourist flight may land on Mars before 2040.
In the 2040s, we should be expecting frequent starship trips to Mars. This implies that a new set of starships will be launched to Mars at every launch window. These missions would transport several colonization cargos that would enable astronauts to colonize the red planet in the 2050s.
Humanoid robots and astronauts on the ground would use available resources including futuristic 3D printers to commence the construction of the first Martian city. Since one of Elon Musk’s Mars plans is to send 1 million people to Mars before the 2050s, there will surely be a lot of traffic between Earth and Mars in the 2040s.
More investors will likely bring new innovative ideas that would make Mars colonization achievable. Before 2050, we should be expecting the first Martian city to have been completed.
Mars beyond 2050s
In the 2050s, astronauts with humanoid robot assistance will build fascinating technologies on Mars to sustain humans. At this point, the red planet will be opened to welcome anyone willing to migrate to Mars.
However, the person will have to meet certain requirements from the space agency running the operations. In the 2050s, Mars City will be ready to have its first permanent citizens as SpaceX must have succeeded in building a self-sustaining city on the red planet.
People will be able to walk around freely inside the Martian dome city. Humanoid robots will be used to execute most complex tasks, while astronauts will focus mostly on crucial research inside the Martian city. The population of Mars citizens must have increased in number.
If the dome city is massive enough, it should be able to accommodate up to 1 million humans. With the assistance of future humanoids of the 2050s, the construction of new dome cities will not be a complex task.
Hence, the dome cities will be expanded to accommodate more people interested in relocating to Mars. At this point, humans on Mars may depend completely on supplies grown and produced directly on Mars for survival. When humanity attains such a milestone, we can comfortably say that our kind has colonized Mars.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Elon Musk’s plans for Mars?
Elon Musk Mars plan focuses on colonizing the red planet and building self self-sustaining city on the red planet before 2050. Musk recently announced that SpaceX, his aerospace company will be launching five uncrewed starships to Mars in 2026.
The outcome of that mission will determine if Musk will send manned mission to Mars in late 2028 or 2029. Elon Musk is optimistic about landing astronauts on Mars before 2030 to commence with his bigger plan of colonizing the red planet before 2050.
What is the timeline for Musk to Mars?
Elon Musk’s latest timeline for a manned mission to Mars is before 2030. If the uncrewed mission becomes a success, SpaceX will proceed with the plans of sending astronauts to Mars in either 2028 or 2029. The essence of these missions is to prepare for Musk’s goal of sending 1 million people to Mars before 2054 to live in a futuristic self-sustaining city.
Is there oxygen on Mars?
Yes, there is oxygen on Mars, but not enough to sustain humans. This implies that humans cannot go outside the Martian surface and breathe in oxygen. NASA reveals that the density of Martian oxygen is comparable to 1/10,000th of the amount we breathe on Earth. Hence, Martian astronauts will have to put on an EVA spacesuit to exit their habitats in the future.
Can humans live on Mars?
Yes, humans can live on Mars, but not like the way we live on Earth. They will need a more secure habitat that will protect them from the hostile environment of the Martian surface. This implies that astronauts will rely on living inside dome habitats to stay safe on Mars.
Who will first land on Mars?
The Viking landers are the first human-made objects to safely land on Mars. However, no human has landed on Mars to date. But things are about to change as Elon Musk reveals his plan to send astronauts to Mars before 2030.
