SpaceX Will Launch Private Mars Missions as Soon as 2018

SpaceX is at it again, ATS! After the successful landing of its reusable rocket last month, SpaceX now has the political boost it needs to move forward on its goal(s)........Mars! According to the article, SpaceX will start to send robotic landers to Mars to test the architecture of landing and setting up a colony there. That architecture will be known as Red Dragon.

MORE The commercial spaceflight company SpaceX announced on Twitter today that it plans to send its robotic Dragon capsule to Mars as early as 2018. "Red Dragons will inform the overall Mars architecture," SpaceX representatives tweeted today (April 27), referring to the company's eventual plans to set up a colony on Mars — a key goal of SpaceX and its founder, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. A source familiar with the company’s plans said the first test flight of a Dragon capsule to Mars would demonstrate technologies needed to land large payloads on the Red Planet. That could include supplies and habitats for Martian explorers. In addition, the source said that SpaceX intends to reveal details of its colonization architecture later this year. [SpaceX's Red Dragon: A Private Mars Mission Plan in Pictures] - See more at: www.space.com...

I'm in love with SpaceX! What they are doing is like a dream come true.......Will you marry me, SpaceX? We can have our wedding on Mars! Lol!

www.space.com...

I don't understand who is making money on this, that is when I start paying attention how does this make anyone money? Money, that is what these people are all about.

a reply to: lostbook

wonderful news.

hopefully spaceX can invest on high rez cameras and show the entire trip. that would be t!ts.
would also shut the traps of flat earth mongs and their money squeezing schemes over poor beweeevers...

a reply to: Brotherman

if tesla is successful, NASA will see its fundings slowly dwindle away. NASA milked tax payers money for far too long. the military gets budget cuts and sailors and marines lose education funding and so on, while NASA always makes its case to congress years after years....

Space X can be anz indepent contractor to other developing countries with older space programs

a reply to: odzeandennz
Musk didn't make a fortune by making bad business deals, he didn't one day wake up and say "Gee whiz guys I'm going to make billions and throw it away on missions to mars." I am saying this is happening or not happening depending on who gets paid what. I think privatization of space is cool, I can't say that a billionares club is the best way, they have no reason to be transparent, no reason to say or do # cause they can afford it.

a reply to: Brotherman

To make money you first have to spend money

Anyway, SpaceX is acting fast, i like it...Test, success, Mars.

Hope they succeed on this mission, and don't forget high def. cameras.

The title of the thread says, "as early as 2018". OK. So what the REAL target date? Or even better, how about a "not later than 2_____" date. A project of this scope and private investment dollars/expense will not be rushed.

a reply to: carewemust
That's what I'm saying bro, there's no way the money here pans out. You dont just build # in a week or less then two years.

a reply to: Brotherman

Or maybe man, NASA just has you guys deceived into thinking things take longer than they should with their ridiculous target dates.

Look how quickly the moon missions progressed after 1969.. and that was in 1969!

I am convinced NASA progresses slowly for a reason.. which is probably the same reason we have not gone back to the moon in all these years.

a reply to: lostbook

Now if suddenly SpaceX decides to stop their missions to Mars for whatever reason, you know something is up!

originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: carewemust
That's what I'm saying bro, there's no way the money here pans out. You dont just build # in a week or less then two years.

If you are the first company or only company capable of harnessing resources on another planet, well, it's just a matter of long term vision.

originally posted by: odzeandennz
a reply to: lostbook

wonderful news.

hopefully spaceX can invest on high rez cameras and show the entire trip. that would be t!ts.
would also shut the traps of flat earth mongs and their money squeezing schemes over poor beweeevers...

Could you imagine a VTOL on Mars? Insane!

What a joke!

Maybe they can send there a probe, but not betting the mission will work as wished.

But for anything more like sending peoples, there is a need for powerful launcher like Saturn V or SLS Block 2, and many of them...

WTF with the urge to going to Mars? This is a dead planet, nothing there, no "protective" atmosphere at low pressure, low gravity and colder than Antarctic!

The Moon shall have a base instead, it's "relatively" near and not a lot more "inhospitable".

This sounds like a PR mission as much as anything.

originally posted by: PeterMcFly
But for anything more like sending peoples, there is a need for powerful launcher like Saturn V or SLS Block 2, and many of them...

Or a Big Frakking Rocket.

However, it is clear SpaceX envisions a rocket far more powerful than even the fully evolved Block 2 SLS – a NASA rocket that isn’t set to be launched until the 2030s.

www.nasaspaceflight.com...

a reply to: odzeandennz
Umm....NASA gets next to zero funding as a proportion of the budget when compared to the military. Where exactly are you getting you pr information?

a reply to: lostbook


We will see, 2018 I very much doubt

Not everything has to be about money, In fact true success often isn't about money. If you follow your passions money will follow. One of Elon Musk's passions has always been going to Mars. He finally has the means, the money and the infrastructure with his other companies to do this. He's built himself and his companies up enough that other organizations like NASA will partner with him.

I don't think he'll ever go broke and he'll always bring in outside investors, but he, at least short term, is not going to make money going to Mars. Mars is not about making money for him.

a reply to: lostbook

Lets face it SpaceX wont be launching missions to Mars in 2018. Period!

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: lostbook

Lets face it SpaceX wont be launching missions to Mars in 2018. Period!

I wouldn't bet on that.
Put a remote operated Dragon in orbit with a falcon 9.
Then launch a Mars booster with a Falcon heavy.
Mate them up in orbit and off they go.

The first Falcon heavy is due to launch later this year.
Being so new I doubt it will carry any paying payload for a couple of launches.
So a Mars launch would really put a notch in Elon's belt.

We've been living in the NASA world for too long.
Nasa never seriously considered landing a first stage for reuse.
Spacex has done most it. Just need to re-certify the booster.

It takes someone like Musk to say lets got for it.
Unlike Nasa where they have to get congress approval to change paint colors.