There is a narrow window, once about every 2 years (26 months), when SpaceX can send a rocket to Mars. Given the narrow timeframe, distance and time to get to the moon, Elon Musk has augmented the bigger mission and has turned getting to the Moon, and inhabiting, a smaller, easier to achieve mini-mission.
He wrote on X today, “For those unaware, 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. 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.
“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 civilization and the Moon is faster.”
We love to dream about humans on the moon, not because we personally want to go there, but because the technology and design needed to support life on the moon can actually make our lives on Earth more sustainably focused. Agriculture, water use, and building on the moon or Mars will need to be lean, sustainable and probably closed loop.
They will need technologies that can provide limitless energy from the sun, and which can squeeze water from human waste and even from the air.
This Dune-inspired spacesuit can recycle urine on Mars – want to help them raise money?
Aiming for the stars has always had a knock-on effect for health as well. Many technologies used in diagnostics were derived from the Space and Defence industries.
Elon Musk isn’t the only one reaching for the moon and Mars. China said last year that it will build a space station with Russia on the moon (it plans on mining the moon first), using nuclear power (please do not blow up the moon!) and the United Arab Emirates plans on joining SpaceX on Mars.
He says it’s not important who gets there first; it’s important who brings equipment to build civilization.
It can take 3 to 5 days to get to the moon. Would you go if you were given the chance?
