The space industry's heavyweights gear up plans for Martian colonization. At least 200,000 volunteer in a cattle call, but Elon Musk warns people some will die trying to reach the red planet.
Elon Musk's goal of establishing a Martian colony is just over the horizon. The SpaceX CEO plans to send its pioneers in 2024, with estimated arrival in 2025. In the meantime, Musk will establish a cargo route, paving the way for other interested investors.
Overwhelming Response To Volunteer Calls
SpaceX is not alone in the space race; Mars One, a Netherlands non-profit company, signed 200,000 hopefuls in bid to colonize Mars, as early as 2026. Mars One will then send a group of pioneers every 26 months; the company confirmed all of its missions are one-way trips.
The mass of volunteers will be whittled down to 40, and then to 26 explorers. Mars One doesn't offer any guarantee these explorers will survive the trip, though.
In a Washington Post report, Musk compared the first Martian colonies to America's English pioneers. Mars' first inhabitants will hit the ground running, establishing pods that provide the basic necessities: food, water and oxygen.
SpaceX Wants To Pave the Way
Musk reveals how SpaceX will pave the way to Mars. Starting with the first spacecraft launched in 2018, SpaceX hopes to establish a cargo route. Succeeding trips will be scheduled every 26 months, when Mars is closest to Earth.
It's "like a train leaving the station," Musk said. "And if scientists around the world know that they can count on that, and it's going to be inexpensive, relatively speaking compared to anything in the past, then they will plan accordingly and come up with a lot of great experiments."
SpaceX and Mars One are best-equipped to realize the Mars endeavor, but these operate without the resources of a government agency. NASA plans to send its own crew in 2030, with its Orion capsule and Space Launch System still in development.
NASA also jumpstarted recruitment for the manned missions, posting concept posters on social media. In contrast to SpaceX and Mars One, an Inquisitr report confirms NASA's missions will include return trips for its astronauts.
