Humans on Mars is closer than you think

​Patrick LaLiberte
Staff Writer
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           There has been talk about humans going to Mars for quite some time now; however there has never been any planned expeditions to the red planet. The human race has the technology to go to Mars, but has not had the motivation and will to do it until now. The time has finally come for humans to land on Mars and colonize the planet, according to SpaceX founder Elon Musk. In fact, Musk is confident enough to say that he will send eighty thousand people to Mars by 2050. Also, Musk has recently stated that he plans on going “well beyond” Mars, aiming to colonize other planets, moons, and possibly even asteroids. Despite these claims, Mars is currently the most likely candidate, at least in the near future, for humans to land on and colonize.
           Musk’s plan to colonize Mars will start with sending equipment and tools necessary for the survival of the colonists. Some of this equipment will be used to make new fuel for the journey back to Earth.  Soon after that, the launch of the “Red Dragon” spacecraft will take the astronauts to the red planet sometime between 2018 and 2020. When the colonists arrive on Mars, they will need to find all of the supplies to make an outpost. The equipment needed for the outpost would probably be impossible to lift and move here on Earth, but because the gravity on Mars is only 37% of Earth’s gravity, lifting the heavy equipment should not be a problem for the colonists. These colonists will have to work together to do many things in order to survive as a community on Mars.
          Although some are skeptical of Musk’s plan to land on Mars and colonize the planet, SpaceX has already begun the billion dollar project, and Musk is determined to follow through with the expedition. Only time will tell how far Elon Musk’s plan to colonize the solar system will really go, but humans landing on Mars in the near future seems inevitable at this point. 

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