In a recent interview, Elon Musk stated that in the worst-case scenario, it would take about a decade before SpaceX could send humans to Mars. However, the main limiting factor right now is funding, as he mentioned that it is still too expensive to send anyone to the Red Planet at this time.
Host Fridman asked Musk when SpaceX would send humans to the Red Planet. Musk did not respond immediately and took nearly 20 seconds to think, after which he indicated that in the best-case scenario, it would be about 5 years, and in the worst-case scenario, 10 years.
A crucial factor in sending humans to Mars is the design of the vehicle. Musk stated: “Starship is the most complex and advanced rocket ever built”. The CEO of SpaceX added that Starship is optimized to minimize the cost per ton of payload delivered to orbit and ultimately the cost per ton to the surface of Mars.
Currently, Musk noted that funding is the limiting factor. “You can’t fly to Mars for a trillion dollars. No amount of money can get you a ticket to Mars”, he said.
Elon Musk stated that in the best-case scenario, it would take about 5 years, and in the worst-case scenario, 10 years for humans to reach Mars.
Musk expressed that he does not just want to plant a flag and leave footprints on Mars, only to return after 50 years, similar to what was done with the Moon.
Musk has previously mentioned on Twitter that SpaceX aims to land Starship on Mars before 2030, noting that the real challenge will be establishing the first self-sustaining base. By 2050, Musk hopes to have a million people living on Mars.
