RGClark
Mathematician
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I'll Put Millions of People on Mars, says Elon Musk.
posted Dec 22, 2011 9:10 PM by Michael Stoltz [ updated Dec 22, 2011 9:29 PM ] By Greg Klerkx, New Scientist, 12.22.11
http://www.marssociety.org/home/press/news/illputmillionsofpeopleonmarssayselonmusk
In the article Elon says that if SpaceX succeeds at reusable rockets at the price of $100 to $200 per kg range, then he can get the mission to Mars at $5 billion:
posted Dec 22, 2011 9:10 PM by Michael Stoltz [ updated Dec 22, 2011 9:29 PM ] By Greg Klerkx, New Scientist, 12.22.11
http://www.marssociety.org/home/press/news/illputmillionsofpeopleonmarssayselonmusk
In the article Elon says that if SpaceX succeeds at reusable rockets at the price of $100 to $200 per kg range, then he can get the mission to Mars at $5 billion:
Elon also reiterates his stance, that I agree with, about the importance of achieving reusability in spaceflight:Musk is eventually hoping to build this kind of reusability into SpaceX's newest launch vehicle, the Falcon Heavy. Scheduled for testing in early 2013, Falcon Heavy will be the largest rocket flown since NASA's Saturn V launched astronauts to the moon. Musk says that a reusable version of the rocket could deliver a payload of up to 15 tonnes to Mars at a cost of $100 to $200 per kilogram. That makes his $5 billion humans-to-Mars price tag seem realistic. Even so, the Falcon Heavy would need to be "heavier" still to carry the minimum 50-tonne payload needed for a Mars mission. But Musk, whose title at SpaceX is CEO and chief technology officer, is working on that too.
Bob ClarkAt no point in our discussions does he withdraw or alter his 10 to 20 year time-frame for Mars. Even at the far end of that range, Musk would be only 60 when the first Martian expedition launched. Would he consider going on that first trip? "If someone had solved the rapidly reusable launch system problem, then yes, I'd definitely go," he says. "But if it were simply a one-time flight, then no, because I'd need to stay and keep at the challenge with SpaceX. It is too important. This is something that I'm in for the long haul."
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