Elon Musk took to X to reveal an ambitious timeline for human settlement on Mars, following a post by Bill Ackman advocating for a health-focused ad campaign. Ackman emphasized, “Without our health and that of our children, we have nothing. For those concerned about the economy, national debt, and deficits, there is no more critical initiative.”
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Musk, in response to Ackman’s post, emphasized SpaceX’s accomplishments, saying, “We created the first fully reusable rocket stage and, more importantly, made it economically viable. The key to making life multiplanetary lies in lowering the cost per ton to Mars.”
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Musk explained that sending useful payloads to Mars currently costs around $1 billion per ton, but this needs to drop to $100,000 per ton to build a self-sustaining city on the planet. “The technology must improve by a 10,000 times,” he noted, acknowledging the immense challenge but insisting it’s not impossible.
The first crewed flights to Mars will be in 4 years
Musk then detailed his plan for Mars, announcing that the first uncrewed Starship missions will launch in two years, coinciding with the next Earth-Mars transfer window. These missions aim to test the reliability of Mars landings. “If these landings are successful, the first crewed missions to Mars will take place in four years,” Musk revealed.
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He also stated that flight frequency will increase dramatically, with the goal of constructing a self-sustaining city on Mars within 20 years. “Becoming multiplanetary will significantly extend the lifespan of consciousness, as humanity will no longer have all its resources, both literally and biologically, confined to one planet,” Mr. Musk said.