Posted on 03/11/2018 12:00:46 PM PDT by Simon Green
Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk told an audience at South by Southwest that his timeline for sending a space vehicle to Mars could mark its first milestone early next year.
The privately-funded venture, announced in September 2017, aims to send a cargo mission to the Red Planet by 2022. SpaceX's ultimate objective is to plant the seeds to put a human colony on Mars.
Musk held a surprise question and answer session at the annual technology and culture festival in Austin, Texas on Sunday. The billionaire told attendees that "we are building the first Mars, or interplanetary ship, and I think well be able to short trips, flights by first half of next year."
Mindful of elevating expectations too high, Musk hedged a bit. "Although sometimes, my timelines are a little, you know..." he said to laughter.
SpaceX's BFR rocket system is expected to have capabilities for interplanetary travel, and be fully reusable. A flight will cost less than the initial Falcon 1 flights, which Musk pegged in the $5 to $6 million range.
He hopes if BRF launches, others will believe Mars travel is possible, and follow suit.
"The biggest thing that would be helpful is just general support and encouragement and goodwill," Musk said. "I think once we build it we'll have a point of proof something that other companies and countries can go and do. They certainly don't think it's possible, but if we do they'll up their game."
In the immediate term, Mars will need Glass domes, a power station, and an assortment of basic living fundamentals, he cautioned. After the infrastructure is complete, "then really the explosion of entrepreneurial opportunity [will begin], because Mars will need everything from iron foundries to pizza joints," he said.
In a wide-ranging series of remarks, Musk regaled the audience with anecdotes about several of his other ventures, including Tesla and the Boring Company, with the billionaire joking he tweets about the latter more than he actually spends time working on it.
He also raised eyebrows when asked the source of his inspiration, citing iconic entertainer Fred Astaire and irascible hip-hop artist Kanye West.
And taxpayer $$$, of course.
If it gets us to Mars, I'm all in.
He’ll spend it better than NASA.
Great!! Taxpayers dont pay!! He can claim mars for usa instead on” man kind”!!
I’m waiting for him to ride his red roadster on mars.
What will you do when you get there? The mean temperature is 90 below.
I doubt it. Let’s see who’s right.
The difference between this dude and other dudes wearing tinfoil hats... The government has given this dude $4 billion in subsidies... The man is a complete lunatic and that will be his defense in court when they find out how much fraud and theft he has partaken in.... Bernie Madoff’s next cellmate, or 25 years at a funny farm playing checkers and watching soaps... That is Elon Musk’s real future. Not a trip to Mars.
Since you have knowledge of fraud and theft on a massive scale, have you contacted the authorities with your evidence?
That’s still warmer than Hillary.
Yep, he’s going to do ALLLL of that, on a Planet that has “No Atmosphere”.Got it!
I’m sure... Especially since his rockets all seem to actually work, good luck with that claim.
Feb 7, 2018 - Tesla said it posted a loss of $675 million, or $4.01 per share, in the latest quarter, its biggest loss ever. A year ago, Tesla lost $121 million, or 78 cents per share. After adjusting for one-time items, the company lost $513 million, or $3.04 per share.
It is not possible to post losses every year and maintain the illusion that you will eventually make money... You will not. The Tesla bubble will eventually burst and when it does, all those investors are going to be looking for something in return... And it won't be money because their isn't any money, so somebody is going to jail.
Enjoy if you like this genre: Styx: The Mission (complete album in playlist)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz1DuCfaGtk&list=PLDEzeCWIrg02I3sVDqBhiB0nex_NpdbzT
Hoping they send Sheila Jackson Lee to look for that flag the Apollo astronauts planted in 1969.
It is not possible to post losses every year and maintain the illusion that you will eventually make money...
Why not?
It worked for Amazon. Starting in in 1994, it was 6 years before they finally showed a small profit. And they didn’t show an overall profit (more total profit than total losses for their entire history) until 2009.
The difference between this dude and other dudes wearing tinfoil hats... The government has given this dude $4 billion in subsidies... The man is a complete lunatic and that will be his defense in court when they find out how much fraud and theft he has partaken in....
So all those rockets going up and coming back to land, something that NASA hasn’t been able to do in 60 years, are just a figment of his lunatic imagination?
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