Glad to have you guys on board, standby for comm check.
The Falcon 9 showed the world what SpaceX was capable of.
SpaceX, Dragon, loud and clear.
It was the first time a private company sent astronauts into orbit.
God speed Bob and Doug.
Since that mission in May, four more astronauts boarded for the first operational crewed flight, Crew-1.
The Falcon 9 may have put the spotlight on SpaceX, but it’s just the opening act before the main show.
Starship.
3, 2, 1, 0
we have liftoff
SpaceX hopes to journey far beyond Earth on what will be the world's most powerful launch vehicle.
In December, a Starship prototype, Serial Number 8, took off from its launch pad in Boca Chica, Texas
It flew farther than any of its predecessors - soaring to 12.5 kilometers or 41,000 feet.
So far, so good.
But returning was tricky. Starship performed a belly flop maneuver. The unusual execution allows Starship to better control the landing by using its fins.
It didn’t make much of a difference in this case because the vehicle crash-landed.
Musk had given the flight a one in three chance of success.
Despite the epic ending, it was still considered successful. Incredible work, team. Nice work.
Because Musk said SpaceX had collected all the data it needed.
This is the farthest by far that Starship has gone. Previous prototypes only performed tiny hops of 150 meters.
The part that flew was only the spacecraft, the second stage, which will
eventually sit on top of the first stage for a trip to space - a rocket known as the Super Heavy.
It’s collectively called Starship, and towers 120 meters or 394 feet.
After the two stages separate, the Super Heavy returns to Earth by landing vertically
while Starship journeys onward to its destination, before also coming home.
What makes Starship unique is that it’s totally reusable.
The Falcon 9 on the other hand is only partially reusable. The booster returns.
SpaceX envisions Starship being similar to a plane, with constant flights and quick turnaround times.
It will have to fly hundreds of times without a crew, at least until takeoffs and landings are perfected.
Then, it might be able to take a bite out of the commercial airline industry by transporting travelers from place to place on Earth.
The company envisions going from Sydney to Singapore in 31 minutes.
LA to Toronto in just 24.
Shorter distances may not even require the booster.
The spacecraft could travel on its own, powered by 6 Raptor engines.
The prototype that flew had three of those engines on board.
Earth to Earth travel may be an easier milestone. But the real focus is farther away.
No one has been to the moon since 1972.
When NASA sends the next man and first woman back by 2024, it will have to decide which company will get them there.
SpaceX has competition from both Blue Origin and Dynetics.
It wants to modify Starship for the historic trip - it certainly doesn’t look like any type of lunar lander we’ve seen before.
Sending people to the moon is a tremendous achievement in and of itself but for SpaceX,
this is simply a step, an opportunity to gain experience before achieving an even greater dream.
It’s no secret SpaceX is trying to get to Mars.
I’m optimistic about the future on Earth but it’s important to have life insurance for life as a whole.
Beyond the insurance policy, there is an even bigger reason, which he talked about during a recent event in Berlin.
We want to have a future that is inspiring and exciting.
A future where we are a space-faring civilization and out there among the stars.
I think that's, every kid gets excited about that. You don’t even need to teach them.
Dreams of humans settling on the red planet will depend on Starship’s rate of innovation.
Musk hopes an uncrewed mission to Mars could occur as early as 2022.
And he’s highly confident humans could get there in 2026 or possibly 2024.
100 passengers will brace themselves for a six-month journey.
As difficult as it is to get to Mars, the real work begins upon arrival.
Because a city needs constructing, especially if the vision is a million people living there by 2050.
A fleet of a thousand Starships will be charged with the daunting task.
This will be an incredibly expensive undertaking, at least $100 billion but possibly trillions.
SpaceX is going to need boatloads of cash. Or in this case, shiploads.
Its new satellite internet service for Earth called Starlink is projected to bring in $30 billion dollars a year of desperately needed money.
What an awesome view with the sunlight hitting those Starlink satellites.
The Falcon 9 has been launching the satellites but it can only carry 60 Starlink satellites at a time.
Since SpaceX wants to build a constellation of at least 12,000 that means about 200 flights.
And if the company wants to extend that to a full 42,000 one day, 700 launches is no small feat.
That’s why SpaceX plans on using Starship to carry Starlink in the future.
Instead of 60 satellites, it can take 400.
Its payload capacity is over 100 metric tons or about the weight of a blue whale.
Eventually, satellites would also orbit Mars to provide internet to its new inhabitants. Musk hopes to be one of them.
And you seriously want to be buried on Mars?
Just not on impact. Haha.
Listen, we’re all gonna die someday. So, if you're gonna die someday, like, okay, do you want to be buried on Mars or Earth? I’m like, Mars sounds cool.
Born on Earth, die on Mars. That’s, y’know, if you’ve got the choice.
Every step along the way of his plan to live and be buried on Mars depends on the success of Starship.
With rapid improvements, this beast of a vehicle will one day journey far beyond Earth.
Or in the words of Musk: “Mars, here we come!!”
Elon Musk has a bachelor’s in physics and economics, but he truly learned about rocket science by reading books and talking to experts.
He found a way that worked for him.
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When do you think humans will be able to reach Mars? Do you think the 2026 timeline is a realistic one?
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I'm Cindy Pom and I'll see you next time.