SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has finally delivered his highly anticipated speech called "Making Humans an Interplanetary Species." He revealed that a ticket to Mars will cost just $200,000. It's the same as the median U.S. house price. Musk also shared more details about his planned colonization of the Red Planet.
The Cost Of The Trip To Mars
The $200,000 price is quite affordable. Musk said that it is based on the method of space travel. He estimated that one ticket to Mars would actually cost $10 billion. That is if the traditional method is used. He mentioned that the price could be lowered. A re-usable spacecraft would offer that.
According to NBC News, Musk compared the situation to a plane. A trip on a Boeing 737 will cost around half a million dollars. That's because it was only used once.
But a Southwest Airlines trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas could cost less than $50. That's possible when a re-usable plane is used.
The Journey To Mars
Musk admitted that the trip could take between 80 and 150 days. The ideal time of journey is every 26 months. It is when Mars is actually closest to Earth. The spacecraft should be able to carry 100 to 200 people.
He plans on putting an entertainment area and restaurant in the spacecraft. Otherwise, the people could get bored in their long flight to Mars. Musk wants to make it more appealing. That means it should be fun and exciting.
However, Musk disclosed that he chooses not to go to Mars. Though he actually wants to. He acknowledged that there's risk of death.
Why Does It Have To Be Mars?
According to Tech Crunch, Musk said that Mars is the perfect place to go to. The Earth's moon is not really an option. He described it as much smaller, does not have an atmosphere and not as resource-rich. A day in the moon is long as 28 days on Earth.
Musk mentioned that Venus is a hot acid bath and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn are too far off.
Thus, the case for Mars is stronger. It's the closest and most habitable for humans. A day in the Red Planet is as long as that of the Earth. Musk said that it's an ideal place to set up a colony.
