Mars might be a closer prospect than we think!
With the global population ever-expanding, the resources that fuel this growth are being depleted at a rapid rate. In times like these we look to the skies, where space awaits; well at least this is the ideology of those courageous minds at a company known as SpaceX.
Headed by their charismatic leader Elon Musk, a Pretoria Boy’s High Alumni, SpaceX looks set to change the way we think of space travel. The company has been looking primarily to make space travel more affordable and accessible to your average citizen. Nevertheless, an ambitious goal to colonize The Red Planet of Mars, has been the main focus of the company since its inception.
Looking at how they are going to accomplish these monumental feats lies within the re-usability of their spacecrafts.
The SpaceX reusable launch system development program is privately funded to develop a set of new technologies for an orbital launch system that may be reused many times in a manner similar to the re-usability of your standard Boeing aircraft. SpaceX have been developing these technologies over numerous years to facilitate full and rapid re-usability of space launch vehicles.
The project's long-term objectives include returning a launch vehicle’s first stage to the launch site in minutes and to return a second stage to the launch pad following orbital realignment with the launch site and atmospheric reentry in up to 24 hours. SpaceX's long-term goal is that both stages of their orbital launch vehicle will be designed to allow reuse a few hours after return.
Another major component of SpaceX’s mission is making space travel affordable. Ever since we first sent people into space the costs have been astronomical.
This, in most part, has been the reason for the industries lack of growth, if only a handful of people can actually afford to go into space then what is the point. This mindset seems set to change with a trip to mars costing around the same price as an average size house. The colonization of Mars is also a very significant aspect of this whole venture. With this SpaceX delves into this possibility of creating a new earth; a new place that we could potentially call home. Terraforming the planet so that it could possibly sustain a complex biosphere similar to Earth’s.
This essentially presents an image of the future where human life is expanding its reach outside of our planets decreasing compounds. With its first human payload expected to launch in 2024, Mars is not as far away as you may think.