Human has been very keen about life beyond the earth. We have spent tremendous amount of money on space projects. Just think of human colonies on Mars. Sound crazy, doesn't it? Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX is already up to this crazy project. Musk, while giving speech at International Astronautical Congress, revealed how he is planning to inhibit human colonies on the Red Planet for long terms. Interestingly, Musk wants to do it as soon as in 6 years.
Musk has been working on this project since 2012. Since then, several boosters and propeller have been successfully tested. He hopes that the Mars colonization will begin in 2022 and by 2060, we will be able to send a million humans on the Red Planet. The colonies will be self-sustainable.
"What I really want to achieve here is, to make Mars seems possible. We are at the point of time where we have two fundamental routes. The first one is that we limit ourselves to Earth only and thus, becoming extinct at some point of time. The second path is that we become multiplanetary species. It is not about everyone moving to Mars, it is about becoming multiplanetary." he said during the speech. Though he admitted that the exact timeline is fuzzy.
Musk outlined multi-stage launch and trasport system including reusable booster, like Falcon 9, but bigger than it. SpaceX has successfully tested Falcon 9. The Mars Colonial Transporter is capable of going beyond the Mars. A Raptor engine is designed to propel Mars Colonial Transporter (MST). Test firing of the same will be done shortly. It will be 3.5 times powerful than the best ever propeller created by NASA, Saturn V. The booster and the interplanetary module on the top of it will be as long as Boeing 747 aircraft. The booster will be 39 foot wide. It will be capable of carrying 100 passengers. SpaceX calls it Interplantery Transport System. The booster will accelerate to 5374 miles an hour by using 42 Raptor engines.
The rocket will launch crew capsule to orbit around the earth. Then, the booster will head back to earth towards launch mount Propellant tanker will be loaded onto the booster. The booster will carry it to orbit so that it can fuel the crew capsule. Thereafter, the crew capsule will depart for Mars and the booster will return to the earth. For the journey of Mars, solar arrays will be deployed which will be capable of generating 200 kW of power.
The journey will be two-way. Returning to home planet from the Red Planet will be made possible by synthesizing Hydrogen and Carbon-dioxide on Mars. NASA has welcomed Musk's plan, saying "NASA applauds all those who want to take the next giant leap, and advance the journey to Mars. We are very pleased that the global community is working to meet the challenges of a sustainable human presence on Mars. This journey will require the best and the brightest minds from the government and industry, and the fact that Mars is a major topic of discussion, is very encouraging." Elon Musk founded SpaceX keeping one thing in mind, to make the Mars possible for human and colonize it.
Here is everything Elon Musk said about Mars colonization:
Here is everything Elon Musk said about Mars colonization:
However, the project will be highly expensive. In the early stage of colonization, it may seem feasible, but as the colonies on the Mars expend, it will get costlier. Musk reckoned that the outlay on sending one person to Mars will be $10 bn. Though, it is ambiguous whether he estimated it on the basis of present rocket system or the one he is planning to launch.
Watch: Animated version of Elon Musk's highly ambitious plan