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Elon Musk reveals ambitious plans to establish a human colony on Mars. (Photo: NASA)
JAKARTA – SpaceX founder Elon Musk stated ambitious plans to establish a human colony on Mars in the next few years. Without hesitation, Musk plans to send 1 million people to the Red Planet.
Musk made this statement via social media in response to a question about the capabilities of SpaceX's Starship rocket, which he claims will be the key to achieving the goal of Mars.
“One day, a trip to Mars will be like a flight across countries,” Musk wrote in X as reported by the Hindustan Times, Tuesday (13/2/2024).
The dream of establishing a colony on Mars is nothing new. Musk has long stated his intention to make humanity multi-planetary. He often said that human settlement on Mars would be insurance for civilization. However, its latest statement shows that SpaceX is working seriously to make this vision a reality in the next few years.
Last week, Musk predicted that Starship could reach the Moon within five years. He also noted SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule will take astronauts further into space than anyone has in more than 50 years. Although ambitious, Musk admits establishing a self-sustaining civilization on Mars will require enormous effort and innovation.
He also previously discussed plans to build a permanent base on the Moon in the future. “Humans should have a moon base, a city on Mars, and be out there among the stars,” Musk wrote in December 2023.
Although Musk is known for his boasts, his companies have achieved milestones once thought impossible, such as reusable orbital rockets. However, the Mars vision faces daunting technical challenges.
A recent Starship test flight ended in a fatal crash, indicating progress remains slow. Musk hopes a third test this year will reach orbit, proving the probe's capabilities.
(msf)