SpaceX founder sets new 30-year goal for Mars colonisation

US entrepreneur and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has revised his ambitious timeline for the colonisation of Mars, extending his forecast to 30 years.

The entrepreneur updated his prediction, acknowledging that the timeline for establishing a human presence on Mars would likely take longer than initially expected, Caliber.Az reports, citing Musk’s message on X.

Musk wrote that at best, the timeline for interplanetary colonisation would be 20 years, but it was more likely to be closer to 30 years, offering a more cautious outlook. This adjustment came in response to a user on X, who had referenced Musk’s earlier comment that Mars’ population could reach 1 million people within 20 years. Musk’s new statement clarifies that while progress is ongoing, the path to Mars colonization faces numerous hurdles that require more time to overcome.

Earlier this month, on March 17, Musk had projected that humans could step foot on Mars within 5 to 7 years. However, he emphasized that the real challenge lies not only in sending people to the Red Planet, but in ensuring that the necessary technological advancements are made to support a self-sustaining colony.

Musk explained that a critical factor in Mars’ long-term viability would depend on humanity’s ability to develop the technology required for Mars to thrive independently, if Earth-bound spacecraft no longer make the journey.

By Naila Huseynova