Elon Musk has taken the wraps off his plans for “Starship”, the reusable space vehicle that he expect will take humans to Mars.
He unveiled a 50-meter, 200-ton prototype of the new rocket, which he says could be in orbit within six months and will be capable of carrying passengers or cargo to Earth orbit, planetary destinations, and between destinations on Earth.
Starship serves as a large, long-duration spacecraft capable of carrying passengers or cargo to Earth orbit, planetary destinations, and between destinations on Earth.
Musk says the company plans to build a fleet of Starship rockets.
The Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) CEO stresses that space travel will become feasible once we develop spacecraft that can perform multiple trips to and from their destinations.
“It is critical that we make space travel like air travel,” he says. “If you needed a new plane every time you wanted to go anywhere, very few people would fly.”
The breakthrough for space travel will come with the rapidly reusable rocket, he adds.
“It is very hard to do – and one barely possible with earth’s physics – it is on the cusp of what is possible.”
SpaceX launched its first Falcon rocket into orbit just 11 years ago, and has since developed and launched the Falcom Heavy and Dragon rockets as well.
Watch Musk’s full presentation here.