Technology Updates - by Ali

8bitfuture:

Space X plans passenger trips to Mars in 10 - 15 years.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has revealed in an interview his plans to offer return passenger flights to Mars. While admitting initial trips would be unaffordable for most people, he says after 10 years of operation the cost should drop to around $500,000.

He says the key to the system will be to make everything reusable, as well as having the ability to refuel on Mars.

“My vision is for a fully reusable rocket transport system between Earth and Mars that is able to re-fuel on Mars - this is very important - so you don’t have to carry the return fuel when you go there,” he said.

“The whole system [must be] reusable - nothing is thrown away. That’s very important because then you’re just down to the cost of the propellant.

“We will probably unveil the overall strategy later this year in a little more detail, but I’m quite confident that it could work and that ultimately we could offer a round trip to Mars that the average person could afford - let’s say the average person after they’ve made some savings.”

(Source: BBC, via 8bitfuture)