Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been one of the earliest backers of the idea of colonizing Mars for humankind, and is said to be actively working on a plan to do so in his own lifetime. The tycoon recently made a statement that reiterates his dedication to the cause of setting up a viable and functional human colony on Mars as the first step towards settling and terraforming the rest of the galaxy for the human race.
All of this might sound like it’s come straight out of a science fiction movie, but Elon Musk believes it can be done within his own lifetime. The entrepreneur isn’t one to be taken lightly in his statements, since his companies are actively working towards making his concepts into reality. The latest statement by Musk suggests that there is a 70 percent chance that he will move to Mars during his own lifetime. That puts the odds of colonizing the red planet in the next 40-50 years rather high, at least according to Musk.
He further clarified in the interview with HBO that moving to Mars is unlikely to be a vacation. The conditions will be harsh, the work will be hard in setting up the colony, and there’s a good chance that many of the earliest settlers will die. Furthermore, a return to Earth isn’t even guaranteed, and most people that make the trip to Mars are effectively moving there for life.
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However, for the time being, it doesn’t seem like humankind is anywhere near being able to send a manned mission to Mars, let alone being able to send enough individuals to be able to commence the setting up of a permanent base. All of these statements come across as increasingly outlandish from Elon Musk, as his adventurous lifestyle and tendency to make over-the-top statements is taking away significantly from his credibility.
