Elon Musk’s Plan to Put a Million Earthlings on Mars in 20 Years

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses Elon Musk's ambitious plan to establish a self-sustaining Martian city with a population of 1 million people within the next 20 years. It covers the ongoing efforts at SpaceX to design and develop the necessary infrastructure, including dome habitats, spacesuits, and research into human reproduction on Mars. The article also explores Musk's long-standing fascination with Mars and how his vision for a Martian colony has driven many of his business ventures on Earth.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Elon Musk's Plan for a Martian City

1. What are the key elements of Elon Musk's plan to establish a Martian city?

• SpaceX employees are working on designs for small dome habitats, spacesuits to combat Mars's hostile environment, and researching whether humans can have children on Mars
• Musk has volunteered his own sperm to help seed a colony on Mars
• Musk aims to have 1 million people living on Mars in about 20 years, a much faster timeline than his previous estimates of 40-100 years

2. What are some of the challenges and skepticism surrounding Musk's Martian city plans?

• No one has ever set foot on Mars, and NASA doesn't expect to land humans on Mars until the 2040s
• Mars has a barren terrain, icy temperatures, dust storms, and an atmosphere that is impossible to breathe
• Some experts believe Musk's timeline is unrealistic and that a Martian colony would unfold over decades, not years
• Some SpaceX employees are skeptical that Musk will be able to build a Martian city in his lifetime, with some suggesting he is just trying to outdo Jeff Bezos' vision of humans living in space stations

[02] SpaceX's Efforts Towards a Martian Colony

1. What are some of the specific initiatives and technologies that SpaceX is working on for a Martian colony?

• SpaceX is designing a version of its Starship rocket that may have living quarters in the nose, including amenities like a running track and movie theater
• The company is planning to use Starship to transport 100 passengers at a time to Mars, with flights happening about every two years
• SpaceX has partnered with Impossible Foods to test plant-based meat as a potential protein source for the Martian colony
• The company is also exploring ways to harvest ice on Mars to produce water and build greenhouses to grow food

2. How are SpaceX employees involved in the planning for a Martian colony?

• Many SpaceX employees believe in the goal of establishing life on another planet and sometimes wear "Occupy Mars" or "Rocket Parent" t-shirts
• Employees based in Boca Chica, Texas and those who fly in from the Southern California office work over 100 hours per week on the Mars plans
• The Boca Chica site has an industrial complex called Stargate where some of the Mars planning takes place, though it has lacked basic safety protocols at times