Private US Firm Aims For Manned Mars Landing In 10-20 Years

NEW YORK (AFP) – Private US company SpaceX hopes to put an astronaut on Mars within 10 to 20 years, the head of the firm said.
"We'll probably put a first man in space in about three years," Elon Musk told the Wall Street Journal Saturday. "We're going all the way to Mars, I think... best case 10 years, worst case 15 to 20 years."

Source
Any volunteers for the 10-15 year traveling time? I can't tell if this is how long it will take to launch, or how long it will take to get there. After all, Mars is 35 million miles away. I am curious as to the speed we will be able to travel too.
Hopefully they will have some hyperbaric chambers to sleep in and wake up upon arrival. Are we there yet?
I am glad to see some private interests in this, and SpaceX surely has the clout and resources, plus 75 million dollars awarded from NASA.

SpaceX is one of the two leading private space companies in the United States and has won $75 million from the US space agency NASA to help its pursuit of developing a spacecraft to replace the space shuttle.

Earlier this month SpaceX unveiled what Musk has called the world's most powerful rocket, the Falcon Heavy, which will have its first demonstration flight at the end of 2012.

The launcher is designed to lift into orbit satellites or spacecraft weighing more than 53 metric tons, or 117,000 pounds -- more than twice the capacity of the Space Shuttle or Delta IV Heavy launcher.

Source
Wow, that sounds like one impressive feat of tech there. This will be interesting to watch unfold.

Peace,
spec

The whole point of space exploration is for science and making man kind better, thats why governments should be running it and not by orginisations looking to make money from it.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


10-20 years? That's not soon enough! We went to the moon in 1969! Blacks were still treated like second class citizens back then, society as a whole has advanced so much since that time. With the technology we had over 40 years ago we can safely make it to the moon and back, so why, with the advancements in technology, have we not been pursuing space travel? Is it because we don't have money to do it? Not to troll but we don't have money to fight wars but we do that anyway. I think NASA needs to grow a pair and get cracking on exploring space ASAP.

Misread the article, it's not NASA, it's another organization 'SpaceX'. So our government cannot fund space travel even though we fund some of the stupidest things imaginable while up to our necks in debt? Still I stand by my original point that we should have been pursing space travel decades ago, not now. I have a feeling that this is just hype anyway, it seems that every week I hear about some new space exploration mission that I never hear a follow-up on and it just fades into dust.

This caught my attention:

Earlier this month SpaceX unveiled what Musk has called the world's most powerful rocket, the Falcon Heavy, which will have its first demonstration flight at the end of 2012.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


It takes roughly six months to reach mars one way. Still, thats a long time in a space ship!

reply to post by michaelmcclen


I kind of agree, but what has NASA done for us lately? I for one don't want to give up our quest for space, but I also think it is a priority that could be further down the list these days. But hey, at least with the private move, it won't cost us.

Thanks for the reply,
spec

reply to post by TupacShakur

I hear ya, I don't even know what the hell humanity may look like in 10-20 years.
Nasa was the one's who awarded the private co's the go ahead and the 75 million, so I wonder now, who pays for that? I too wish we had continued space exploration from the 60's, but as I recall, a significant section of the population feels/has felt that space exploration is just not a huge priority. I kind of disagree, but we are in a new area of debt and travesty.
Additionally, after watching the doc Secret Space See, I don't really trust NASA, and think they are a big cash cow.

Pardon the hyper-dramatic music, but there is some substance to this doc.
The 2012 part, man that should be an exciting year huh? Hopefully for the better....

Peace,
spec

reply to post by Helious

6 months huh? I wonder if any new propulsion tech is being considered? Like TS said, this could likely fall in the cracks again, not to be heard from for years to come, who knows.

spec

Pivate space travel is much better than a government funded program. The government tends to keep throwing moneu at a problem in an attempt to fix it. A private company will cut excess fat and eventually perfect traveling space in an affordable, profittable way.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


10-20 years in probably launch time.

Best tech atm is looking at 4-5 months travel time, theoretical.

Best proven tech is looking at a year +.

That's one way.

The problem isn't primarily the travel itself, nor the habitation. We have proven technology for every step. The problem is logistics.

If any piece of current plans fails the mission goes kaput in one fell swoop, with all of the results being tragic and final.

If we are taking the big step to go there, we should plan to permentaly have humans on Mars.

Send everything you need first, years before you send people. Go big or go home.

It will never happen, there is no money in the bank boys the sooner you realize this the sooner you start farming.
I know its a private company but they will need investors whom at this point are worried about their mortgages on their very own MC Mansions.
Regards, Iwinder

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


Yeah in the public's eyes exploring the cosmos, potentially discovering extraterrestrial civilizations, new types of stars, planets, anomalies like black holes, wormholes, galaxies, seeing a nebula up close, etc. is not important, but a couple's wedding in another country is American culture's top priority for WEEKS! Don't worry about how life originated on Earth, what started the Big Bang, or if there are parallel universes, worry about Sarah Palin, Facebook, Jersey Shore, and the new terrible song that has a catchy beat and chorus that a six year old could have thought up. I hate how stupid people are nowadays lol, I seriously want to move into a log cabin in the woods and just avoid all those idiots.

reply to post by TupacShakur


Oh the humanity Tis really sad that the things you mentioned(space) are not at the top of our list for evolution and growth. All the other crap mentioned is exactly as you say, power pellets for idling our growth, if not downright moving us backwards. Man do I miss Star Trek NG, and other shows that get the public excited about not only exploring space, but that humanity has grown and become better in the future. But no, we have Jersey Shore and American idol to help shape our society and their aspirations. I bet if you went to a grade school and asked what kids wanna be when they grow up, astronaut may not even be mentioned, but Gaga, Beiber and the other novelties of garbage surely would be mentioned.

Peace,
spec

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


I feel you dude, I just read that SETI is closing down due to a lack of funding. What does that tell you about our culture? I can't even imagine what that funding is going towards, my money is on military.

Look into the technology they claim, its less than 10% there, and never scaled up so they have no basis that it can be, let alone does what they say when it is.

If I had the resources, I would be towing the ISS to the moon, along with construction kit/materials and building a deep space craft there.

Anyway.... all these private firms are being encouraged so that they build new tech and help reduce the cost of space. Anyone nowadays can build low earth orbit transport so NASA has taken a back seat and I imagine once a concrete method of getting to Mars has been pinned down, you will see them spring into life.

Has anyone seen Bigelow Aerospace's idea for a moon base? Can't find the link. Saw it on space.com. Anyway, looks really interesting.

reply to post by ATSecretAgent


don't forget to install those vasimr engines, one-way to mars in 40 days +/-. so maybe you can tell us about the trip in a couple of months, right?

reply to post by toreishi


Lol If only....

How would you want to travel? Private company or government where they went with the lowest bid?
Sign me up!

reply to post by Illustronic

Good point, I wonder if they are trying to hide some trade secrets or designs?

spec