Humans have dreamed of traveling to Mars for centuries, and as recently as the 1930s, we thought there might be Martians scurrying about the red planet already.
However, after decades of sending robotic landers and rovers, we might actually be on the cusp of setting foot on the red planet. SpaceX is gearing up to take their BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) to the moon in the near term, and deliver gear to Mars as soon as 2022.
Following a number of supply missions, SpaceX hopes to build what they’re dubbing Mars Base Alpha as early as 2028, a mere decade away. This eclipses NASA’s timeline, which is more in the late 2030s for a manned mission.
Judging by Tesla’s delays, we can assume Musk is being a bit optimistic with these timelines, but even if they’re within 3-5 years of the stated trajectory, it’s still a massively exciting development, and will change the course of human history forever.
Below is a brief look at Mars Base Alpha, and the plans for expansion on the Red Planet. Via Engadget:
“You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great – and that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It’s about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past. And I can’t think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars.”
— ELON MUSK, CEO AND LEAD DESIGNER, SPACEX
