SpaceX is working on a program to extract CO2 out of the atmosphere by turning it into rocket fuel, which will be important for its mission to Mars, its founder Elon Musk has announced in a post on Twitter.
It was recently announced that Musk’s company is constructing fully reusable Starship vehicles aimed for potential exploration of Mars.
Although Starship, SpaceX‘s Mars-colonizing spacecraft, is at its eighth prototype iteration and has only managed to lift 150 meters off the ground in two attempts, Musk claims it would take only two more years for the ship to fly the first cargo mission to Mars.
The announcement prompted immediate reactions in the scientists’ circles with astrophysicist YouTuber Scott Manley tweeting that converting CO2 to power Musk’s Starships is reaching a whole new level although the process has been demonstrated before.
Pointing that the real challenge will be to make the process financially sustainable, Ars Technica Senior Space Editor Eric Berger noted, however, that such a program could calm down the growing concern of rocket launches’ climate impact.
According to the plans, a booster rocket – which would return to Earth when the ship enters orbit – will propel SpaceX’s Starship, which will be refueled by a fuel ship in orbit, before continuing its six-month trip towards Mars.
When on Mars, Starship would refuel from “local resources” before flying back to Earth where it will be reused.
According to Musk’s claims last year, SpaceX might try to send its first unmanned mission to Mars in 2022, and, if they get lucky – as Musk pointed – the first manned mission will be sent in 2024 or 2026.
Part of SpaceX’s plans is the hope to have the first colony of people living on Mars by 2030 as well as the pretty ambitious target of one million people by 2050.
Tech mogul warned, however, that not everyone would survive the trip to Mars, but underscored that the trip would be a glorious adventure and amazing experience.
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