Space3 min(s) read
Published 18:07 27 Apr 2021 GMT
Elon Musk has warned that those who are brave enough to venture up to Mars may not come back alive.
The SpaceX CEO has candidly warned that "a bunch of people will probably die" in the beginning stages of Mars exploration.
And although it will be a long while yet until SpaceX sends anyone to the Red Planet, it seems as though that trip could be a life-or-death one.
The Tesla founder told XPrize founder Peter Diamandis in a recent interview: "Going to Mars reads like that ad book for [explorer Ernest] Shackleton going to the Antarctic.
"It's dangerous, it's uncomfortable, it's a long journey. You might not come back alive. But it's a glorious adventure, and it'll be an amazing experience."
He added: "You might die… and you probably won't have good food and all these things. It's an arduous and dangerous journey where you may not come back alive, but it's a glorious adventure. Sounds appealing. Mars is the place. That's the ad, that's the ad for Mars."
It was then when Diamandis pointed out that a large volume of people continue to send in applications to be considered for the trip to Mars.
But Musk was quick to warn explorers to be careful what they wish for.
He added: "I mean, honestly, a bunch of people probably will die in the beginning. It's tough sledding over there, you know? We don't want to make anyone go, so… Volunteers only."
However, ultimately, Musk explained that the mission to Mars is one the human race depends on, saying:
"I think it's important for the long-term preservation and ultimately the expansion and extension of the scope and scale of consciousness, and the long-term, probably, survival of the humanity and life as we know it, we must become a multi-planet species."
Elsewhere in the interview, Musk admitted that his initial goal of sending people to Mars by 2024 turned out to be a little too ambitious.
Speaking back in December, Musk said he was "highly confident" that SpaceX could land humans on Mars by 2026, per CNBC.
He said at the time: "If we get lucky, maybe four years. We want to send an uncrewed vehicle there in two years."
His company now has all hands on deck to complete a vehicle dubbed the Starship - which SpaceX's website claims will be "the world's most powerful launch vehicle ever developed".
The vehicle has already endured four test flights, with the most recent one being in March.
However the Starship "experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly" shortly after the landing burn started, according to the company's website.
Their statement adds: "Test flights are all about improving our understanding and development of a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo on long-duration interplanetary flights, and help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond."
