ELON Musk is set on getting to Mars as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n
The billionaire claimed in a recent tweet that his company SpaceX would reach the Red Planet \"well before 2030\".<\/p>\n
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It comes as the latest prototype of the US firm's huge Starship rocket prepares for lift-off from a SpaceX facility in Texas.<\/p>\n
\"SpaceX will be landing Starships on Mars well before 2030,\" Musk tweeted on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"The really hard threshold is making Mars Base Alpha self-sustaining.\"<\/p>\n
Musk has previously claimed that Starship a bullet-shaped stainless steel tower standing 160ft tall could reach Mars as early as 2022.<\/p>\n
That would take the form of an unmanned flight carrying cargo to the planet.<\/p>\n
Starship's first flight to Earth orbit will take place this year, according to SpaceX.<\/p>\n
SN11, the company's latest prototype, fired up its engines as part of a series of static tests early this morning ahead of its first flight.<\/p>\n
The rocket could blast into the sky this week, weather permitted. SpaceX will use the test to collect data that will inform future flights.<\/p>\n
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Expectations for the first flight of SN11 are high after its predecessor, SN10, met a fiery end earlier this month.<\/p>\n
The prototype shot six miles into the air during a test flight on March 4 before touching down safely at the Starship facility in Boca Chica, Texas.<\/p>\n
It stood upright on the ground for about 10 minutes before suddenly bursting into flames due to apossible methane leak.<\/p>\n
Two other rockets, SN8 and SN9, met similar violent ends following flights in December and January.<\/p>\n
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Starship is in the early stages of development, and trial launches have thus far taken the form of high-altitude flights of a few miles.<\/p>\n
SpaceX plans to reach orbit with the rocket in an unmanned flight by 2022.<\/p>\n
Billionaire Musk, who is also CEO of Tesla, hopes to send a million people to Mars in his lifetime using a 1,000-strong fleet of the powerful rockets.<\/p>\n
The finished product will stand 165ft (50 metres) tall and boast six of SpaceX's powerful Raptor engines.<\/p>\n
What is SpaceX?<\/p>\n
Here's what you need to know...<\/p>\n
SpaceX is a cash-flushed rocket company that wants to take man to Mars.<\/p>\n
It was set up by eccentric billionaire Elon Musk in 2002 and is based in Hawthorne, California.<\/p>\n
SpaceX's first aim was to build rockets that can autonomously land back on Earth for refurbishment and re-use.<\/p>\n
The technology makes launching and operating space flights more efficient, and therefore cheaper.<\/p>\n
SpaceX currently uses its reusable Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets to fly cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) for Nasa.<\/p>\n
It also carries satellites and other space tech into orbit for various government agencies and multinational companies.<\/p>\n
The company took astronauts to the ISS for the first time in 2020.<\/p>\n
Other future missions involve carrying tourists to the ISS and astronauts to the Moon and Mars.<\/p>\n
Musk has repeatedly said he believes humanity must colonise Mars to save itself from extinction.<\/p>\n
He plans to get a SpaceX rocket to the Red Planet by 2027.<\/p>\n
According to SpaceX, the contraption will hit speeds of 15,000mph (25,000kph), making it the world's most powerful spacecraft.<\/p>\n
In a series of tweets last year, Musk outlined how his Starlink plans would open up space travel to anyone, regardless of their income.<\/p>\n
\"Needs to be such that anyone can go if they want, with loans available for those who don't have money,\" he wrote.<\/p>\n
Musk's plan involves building an expansive fleet of Starship vehicles, which comprise a huge rocket topped by a bullet-shaped spacecraft.<\/p>\n
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SpaceX says reusable rockets that can land and take off again make space travel more cost effective, accessible and sustainable.<\/p>\n
However, the team has a long way to go before they can conduct Starship's first manned flight.<\/p>\n
Musk is targeting a Mars cargo mission by 2022 and a manned flight to the Red Planet by 2024.<\/p>\n
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Would you like to go to space? Let us know in the comments...<\/p>\n
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Continue reading here:<\/p>\n Elon Musk says his Starship rocket will land on Mars well before 2030 to create Base Alpha... - The Sun<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ELON Musk is set on getting to Mars as quickly as possible. Continue reading