Aiming to build self-growing city on Moon in less than 10 years: Musk
New Delhi, Feb 9
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Monday said he is aiming to build a self-growing city on Moon in less than 10 years, followed by human presence on Mars in about 20 years.
According to the world's richest man, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon, "as we can potentially achieve that in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take 20+ years".
In a post on his X social media platform, Musk said the mission of SpaceX remains the same -- extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars.
"It is only possible to travel to Mars when the planets align every 26 months (six month trip time), whereas we can launch to the Moon every 10 days (2 day trip time). This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city," he posted.
That said, SpaceX will also strive to build a Mars city and begin doing so in about 5 to 7 years, but "the overriding priority is securing the future of civilisation and the Moon is faster".
Last September, Musk said that the first uncrewed Starship mission will be launched to the Red Planet in two years when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens. Starship is the world's most powerful rocket and will be used to send humans to the Moon and then eventually to Mars.
The tech billionaire said the first Starships to Mars will launch in 2 years when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens. These will be uncrewed to test the reliability of landing intact on Mars. If those landings go well, then the first crewed flights to Mars will be in 4 years.
According to him, flight rate will grow exponentially from there, with the goal of building a self-sustaining city in about 20 years.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Amazing vision, but 10 years seems incredibly optimistic. We have so many pressing issues on Earth – poverty, climate change. Shouldn't that wealth and genius be directed here first? Just a thought.
The logistics make sense – Moon first as a testing ground. Faster iteration is key. Hope Indian scientists and engineers get a seat at this table. We have the talent!
As an expat living in Bangalore, this is the news I start my day with! Musk's timelines are always aggressive, but even if it takes 15 years, a city on the Moon? That's the stuff of dreams. Can't wait.
"Extend consciousness to the stars" – what a profound mission statement. It puts our daily squabbles in perspective. Jai Vigyan! 🪐
With respect, I have to agree with Priya. The cost of this must be astronomical. Imagine if that capital was invested in sustainable energy or agriculture tech in developing nations. The ROI for humanity might be higher.
My kids are already asking if we can go on holiday to the Moon city! 😂 On a serious note, this accelerates everything. Indian
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