Who Wants to Book a Trip to Mars?

Pesala

SpaceX Starship

Although I am a fan of Tesla, Starlink, and all things aimed at bringing a better future, I think colonising Mars is a non-starter and a waste of money. However, the technological spin-off will certainly be useful. The Falcon 9 has already proved itself in deploying Starlink satellites, and various NASA missions.

Would you like to take a trip to a Moon Base and stay there for a few weeks, if the cost comes down to about $100,000?

The Starship has got flight approval from the FAA for 17th April. Elon Musk is fomenting rumours that it might be delayed until 20th April, 4/20/2023 (in memory of his fine from the SEC for tweeting about Tesla going private for $420 a share).

Whatever, this promises to be a spectacular display, even if (or especially if) the first launch results in a rapid unscheduled disassembly. I will be watching to see what happens.

Live Feed has started. Loading of the propellant is underway.
Launch scheduled for 8:20 am Central Time, 2:20 pm British Summer Time.

LonM

@Pesala if the price ever got below $1000 maybe. I am hoping that the private sector, be it spacex or some other company, has success for moon launches because the current US SLS is a bit of a disaster (overrunning costs, late delivery).

I agree about mars, we can send rovers to do research (and soon even be able to return samples) without the need for humans.

Pesala

@LonM said in Who Wants to Book a Trip to Mars?:

If the price ever got below $1000 maybe.

If it got that low, the demand would be off the scale. It costs more than that to take a week’s holiday in your own country, let alone in Europe, Asia, Africa, or the US if you do not live there already.

g_bartsch

@Pesala said in Who Wants to Book a Trip to Mars?:

Would you like to take a trip to a Moon Base and stay there for a few weeks, if the cost comes down to about $100,000?

When it was safe. But I don't have $100,000 USD kicking around

g_bartsch

@Pesala said in Who Wants to Book a Trip to Mars?:

Live Feed due to start in 6 hours. Launch scheduled for 8:00 am Central Time, 2:00 pm British Summertime.

Sadly I have to sleep so will have to settle for the replay; I hope it goes. 120m rocket; that's just wild!

[Oops misread the times earlier; this will be good.]

Pesala

@g_bartsch If it launches, this one will not be boring like a Falcon 9 launch — launch, land on drone ship, deploy satellites.

The booster and Starship will both crash into the ocean (if all goes to plan). Almost anything else could happen. Mission abort, crash on takeoff, explode in mid-flight, spiral off in some random direction, etc.

Elon Musk said that as long as the launch pad is not destroyed, he will count the launch as a win.

Pesala

The live feed has begun.

Launch to be aborted at T-10 seconds due to a pressurisation issue.

g_bartsch

@Pesala said in Who Wants to Book a Trip to Mars?:

Elon Musk said that as long as the launch pad is not destroyed, he will count the launch as a win.

I understand his sentiment; what a massive undertaking. Now we have to wait longer .. more anticipation.

Pesala

Maybe two or three more days.

EliseBakken

@Pesala I Interested to take a trip to a Moon. But $100,000 dose not work for me

Pesala

@EliseBakken I suspect that you could easily make $100,000 from videos and photos of your trip.

EliseBakken

@Pesala You are right

Pesala

@EliseBakken You might want to wait a bit, until the Starship has been tested thoroughly.

EliseBakken

@Pesala said in Who Wants to Book a Trip to Mars?:

@EliseBakken You might want to wait a bit, until the Starship has been tested thoroughly.

Got it. Thanks for your informative information

Pesala

Starship 8 Launch

Live Feed

Fuel Loading nearing completion
Launch aborted for today
Off-loading the fuel

jeffersonsam

I think the mars budget trip is high and still mars trip is process from spaceX. So, we don't know when will the mars trip will happen sucessfully.

Pesala

Starship 8 Launch

Live Feed.

Go for catch
Successful catch by the robot arms
Lost contact with the Starship after it lost attitude control, following failure of several engines
Starship Returns