Recent off his official departure from the Division of Authorities Effectivity, or DOGE, Elon Musk unveiled a daring plan to colonize Mars and make humanity a multiplanet species on Thursday throughout a presentation at Starbase, Texas, the newly integrated metropolis established by SpaceX.
Musk outlined plans for an interplanetary transport system designed to ferry people to the Purple Planet, with the final word objective of building a self-sustaining metropolis there. Although he gave no timetable throughout his speech, in March, he predicted that people would reside on Mars inside the subsequent 20 years.
“Progress is measured by the timeline to establishing a self-sustaining civilization on Mars. That’s how we gauge progress right here at Starbase,” Musk informed the viewers. “Every launch—particularly within the early days of Starship—is about studying what’s wanted to make life multiplanetary and enhancing Starship till it might probably in the end carry tons of of hundreds, if not hundreds of thousands, of individuals to Mars.”
Musk’s renewed push to achieve Mars comes after he stepped down from his function as head of DOGE below President Trump. Elon Musk’s ambition to colonize Mars has been central to his outlook for humanity’s future since he first proposed the endeavor.
The Street to Making Life Multiplanetary: an replace from @elonmusk on SpaceX’s plan to achieve Mars pic.twitter.com/d2cnsVKK80
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) Could 29, 2025
The plan to achieve Mars depends on SpaceX’s Starship and orbital refueling, with uncrewed missions set to start in 2026, aiming to determine the primary human settlements on Mars by 2029. Musk estimated that a million tons of cargo shall be wanted to determine a self-sustaining Mars colony, involving hundreds of Starship launches.
“We’re now on the level the place we will produce a ship roughly each two or three weeks,” Musk claimed. “We do not all the time produce one that usually as a result of we’re making design upgrades, however in the end we’re aiming for the power to supply 1,000 ships a yr—three ships a day.”
Starship will hopefully depart for Mars on the finish of subsequent yr with Optimus explorer robots! https://t.co/8dzlxzFg0h
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 10, 2025
Along with the huge Starship, SpaceX’s roadmap to Mars facilities on key parts together with the brand new Raptor 3 engine for larger effectivity, a reusable warmth protect to outlive atmospheric reentry on each Earth and Mars, and orbital refueling to increase vary and maximize payload capability.
Raptor 3 (sea degree variant)
Thrust: 280tf
Particular impulse: 350s
Engine mass: 1525kg
Engine + vehicle-side commodities and {hardware} mass : 1720kg pic.twitter.com/zormSroZyh— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 3, 2024
Musk stated SpaceX will use Tesla Optimus robots to put the groundwork and assemble the Mars colony. The primary human missions are set for 2027, with the Arcadia Planitia area focused as a possible website for the preliminary settlement. Lengthy-term objectives embrace transporting no less than 1 million tons of infrastructure, constructing a number of launch and touchdown services, and utilizing Starlink satellites to keep up communication.
In the end, Musk stated, the target is to determine a self-sustaining civilization on Mars as a backup for humanity.
“At that time, we have achieved civilizational resilience the place Mars can probably come to the rescue of Earth if one thing goes fallacious or possibly Earth might come to the rescue of Mars,” he stated. “However having two planets which can be each self-sustaining and powerful, I feel, goes to be extremely vital for the long-term survival of civilization.”
As soon as Mars is colonized and serves as a stepping stone, Musk stated, humanity might start journeying to different planets within the photo voltaic system—and ultimately, to different star methods.
Orbital refueling and propellant switch, Musk stated, are crucial to the success of reaching Mars.
“Consider it like aerial refueling for planes—however in orbit. It’s by no means been accomplished earlier than, nevertheless it’s technically possible,” he stated. “Two Starships would dock, and one would switch gasoline and oxygen. A lot of the mass is oxygen—about 80%—with simply over 20% gasoline. You ship a Starship to orbit filled with payload, then ship others to refill its propellant.”
Regardless of a controversial foray into politics and setbacks together with a Starship exploding over Turks and Caicos in January and one other exploding on Wednesday, Musk seems dedicated to the mission of reaching Mars—a mission he stated isn’t nearly expertise, however about shaping the way forward for humanity.
“We will be on the market among the many stars, making science fiction not fiction,” he stated.
