Elon Musk Breaks Down His Plan for Mars in Reddit AMA The SpaceX founder talked specs and science fiction.

By Nina Zipkin

Shutterstock.com
Elon Musk, founder and CEO, SpaceX

Last month, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk spoke at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, about his plan to get humans to Mars, and beyond possibly starting as early as 2024.

Though the cost is high -- $10 billion to make the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) and $500,000 to get a seat on the ship -- not to mention the inherent danger of traveling to and aiming to live on another planet, Musk is characteristically undeterred in achieving his goal, and took to Reddit over the weekend for an AMA to answer any questions people might have about becoming a "spacefaring civ."

Most of his answers were focused on the logistics, mechanics and minutia involved in building the rockets. He revealed that he anticipates releasing details and mockups about the habitable passenger portion of the ship within the next couple of years.

When asked if there was any aspect of the technology that SpaceX had "nailed down" thus far, Musk answered, "not sure that we've really mastered anything yet. Maybe starting engines."

Related: Elon Musk Says We're Likely Living In a Video Game. Are We?

He also broke down his plan for building up a sustainable city on Mars. The first step is sending Dragon rockets on scouting missions "to figure out the best way to get water for the CH4/O2 Sabatier Reaction." The Heart of Gold spaceship will go to Mars with the tools and equipment to set up the fuel plant. A crewed mission will follow to assemble the base and the plant and the last step is "to try to double the number of flights with each Earth-Mars orbital rendezvous, which is every 26 months, until the city can grow by itself."

In talking about the specs of the 42 engines of the reusable ITS rocket, Musk revealed himself to be a fan of the late science fiction writer Douglas Adams when he joked that "it had to be 42 for important scientific and fictional reasons," before getting down to specifics. In Adams' The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy, 42 is discovered to be the answer to "what is the meaning of life?"

Wavy Line
Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Editor's Pick

A Leader's Most Powerful Tool Is Executive Capital. Here's What It Is — and How to Earn It.
Lock
One Man's Casual Side Hustle Became an International Phenomenon — And It's on Track to See $15 Million in Revenue This Year
Lock
3 Reasons to Keep Posting on LinkedIn, Even If Nobody Is Engaging With You
Why a Strong Chief Financial Officer Is Crucial for Your Franchise — and What to Look for When Hiring One

Related Topics

Growing a Business

My Startup Scored a Multimillion-Dollar Contract With a Fortune 100 Client in Just 3 Years. Here's What We Learned.

There's no perfect litmus test to gauge if you're ready to go after big business or not — but if you don't take the risk, you'll never realize the reward.

Business News

The Virgin Islands Want to Serve Elon Musk a Subpoena, But They Can't Find Him

Government officials would like to talk to Tesla's owner as part of an investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Side Hustle

A Simple Household Chore Turned Into a Side Hustle — Now She Earns Up to $24,000 Per Month

Christian Sanya, 44, was working as a medical laboratory technologist in 2019 when she discovered a side gig that would change her life.

Marketing

5 Questions to Ask a PR Pro Before Hiring Them

You probably haven't considered asking these questions, but they're a great way to find the right PR firm for your business.

Marketing

This Location-Based Marketing Technique Is the Key to Boosting Retail Sales

Let's take an in-depth look at geofencing marketing and how it's helping retail locations drive foot traffic and boost sales.