The Race To Mars Between Boeing And SpaceX Has Begun

October 9, 2016 By Waleed Javed 26 Comments

Two corporations race to Mars and to establish mankind as an interplanetary species.

When Yuri Gagarin first went into space in 1961, and when Neil Armstrong first set his foot on the Moon in 1969, they didn’t just do it for science. Two of humanity’s greatest achievements were also done as a result of competition. The space race between the United States and the Soviet Union might have been the only good thing to come out of the Cold War.

In this century, we may stand witness to another space race, with no war involved, thankfully. It won’t be a simple space race, but, more specifically, a race to Mars. And it won’t be contested between two nations, but between two corporations: Boeing and Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Real Plans That Sound Like Science Fiction

Musk’s plans are already notorious. By the end of the century, he wants to have 1 million people colonizing the Red Planet. Come 2024, the first 100 colonists would be sent there. According to Musk, the journey would last about 80 days, significantly shorter than the 300 that is estimated at the moment. SpaceX plans to begin testing as soon as 2018.

But now Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing’s CEO has announced his participation in the race to Mars. He does have a historical advantage; after all, America got its men on the Moon using Boeing technology. The CEO has expressed his plans to build a whole Martian city, fully equipped with hypersonic intercontinental travel.

The Means For The Race To Mars

Right now, Boeing and NASA are working to develop a rocket that could be used for deep-space travel. Musk is not far behind, already having presented a spaceship that could carry his 100 men and women to Mars.

What both CEOs are saying seems rather the work of sci-fi authors than actual men with plans. Seeing two companies competing in the race to Mars means that we may see the first manned Mars landing during our lifetimes. But have they seriously considered all the risks?

What about the space radiation that would surely affect the astronauts on their journey? How would a colony sustain itself and how would they start constructing the first Martian cities? Where would they get the material? Would terraforming be an option, and if so, how could it be done?

Image source: Wikipedia

About the Author

About Waleed Javed

Vancouver BC

There never has been or ever will be space travel . No man has ever set foot on the moon .
Fact check Neil Armstrong has never given a single interview about going to the moon .
The Press conference after the supposed return from the moon looked more like a wake than a celebration of accomplishment .
NASA has Failed . Space X has failed and Virgin Failed .
I do not believe that the Hubble telescope exists either , Sophia is more powerful and resides on a high altitude plane .
The manure gets spread awfully thick by media in regards to space .

Man is not inter dimensional yet , and until that day comes there will never be space travel .

If space travel were remotely possible for man , we would see heavy traffic in space now littered with other life forms .

The fiction of space travel and media constantly promoting it begs the question . Why .
- Highlux Toyota
  
  Conspiracy guy senses conspiracy. I think your tinfoil hats too tight.
  I suppose you think 911 was fake as well as Sandyhook…etc.
  - Vancouver BC
    
    911 was not fake , it was planned well in advance and not done by terrorists .
    There was 10 or more distinct explosions in the towers that day .
    The question is , where did the towers disappear to ? Jet fuel did not cause tons of steel to evaporate and vehicles 2 blocks away to melt .
    
    Americans need to start digesting the truth . The world is getting sick and tired of the constant fear mongering in order to falsely protect your failing dollar .
    
    Printing currency to keep ones head above water will no longer be a viable solution . Default or complete collapse may be inevitable .
    
    Iraq and Libya were on course to abandon the petro- dollar .
    
    Who will be the next candidate for the reserve currency
    ? Asia I would bet .
    - Highlux Toyota
      
      Says the miserable troll living in America Junior….
      Canada is like the drunk uncle at your Wedding. He’s family…but you know he is just a shit bum living off your hard work.
      - Vancouver BC
        
        Fcuk you and the horse you rode in on . Unlike Ukraine , US tried to annex Canada but we beat your lazy a$$ back . You know full well the world is sick and tired of the US Policies invading and war ravaging all the while pointing fingers .
        
        Canadians are accountable and liked Globally .
        Oh but wait , your handle says Toyota which signifies your not as proud of an American as you let on .
        
        What a joke .
      - Highlux Toyota
        
        You will never make it to see Allah…you will never be worthy. Your spirit is poisoned. I hope they bury a hogs head upon your corpse. (Throws shoe at you)
      - Vancouver BC
        
        Typical of a camel jockey dragging religion into a confrontation .
        truth is my crutch .
        If allah is lucky I may permit him to see me .
    - samton909
      
      We could always use tukes as a currency
    - Steverptaylor
      
      I can’t understand how anybody can believe it’s plausible for the US government to fake something as elaborate as 9/11 in plain sight, yet couldn’t even manage to plant fake WMD’s in Iraq where nobody was there to see them… it’s like believing somebody can kill a tiger but not a gnat.
- Mike
  
  i am an actual real housecat. after i take a bong hit i swear i can type in english for about 60 secmeow meow meow meow meow meow meow.
- matchrocket
  
  Tell me something, is the Earth flat or round?
  - Vancouver BC
    
    We are schooled that it is Sphere -ish in shape .
    
    If you have concrete evidence one way or the other , I would like to see it .
    
    Do you have a flat head ?
    
    .
    
    .
    - samton909
      
      There is a joke about that.
    - matchrocket
      
      Maybe NASA will show you that Anti-Gravity room they film all those fake Space Lab scenes in some day.
- Chad Leach
  
  You have far too much free time.
  - biyh
    
    And the Wright Brothers never existed and there are no machines flying through the air carrying people and there are no image and sound devices all streaming moving pictures to devices in homes and ………
    - J. Lambert
      
      Good one!
- koconor100
  
  536 people from 38 countries have gone into space, that being have travelled more than 100 km above sea level to the point where there was no appreciable air.
  
  That’s one heck of a conspiracy , and by the way , you , me , and the NSA are well aware that the only way 2 people can keep a secret is if one of them is dead (a Robert A. Heinlien quote). Just ask Edward Snowden. he’ll tell you all about the keeping of secrets and how impossible it is.
  
  Or Julian Assange.
  - Vancouver BC
    
    You may be correct at 100 km . There seems to be a limit that though that causes all to burn up once reached . Virgin and Space X have recently demonstrated that .
    
    100 km may still be within Earth’s orbit.
    
    I recall reading about the 62 mile limit if that sounds correct .
    - Steverptaylor
      
      “100km may still be within Earth’s orbit”… may be? How about the Moon, which orbits the earth at 400,000km out? It must be a very big co-incidence that modern telescopes can still see the Antares descent module and astronaut tracks where Apollo 14 went down!
  - Vancouver BC
    
    Ridiculous . think before you speak. of all the nsa personal that are aware of what the NSA were doing , why is it only Snowden blew the whistle .
    
    You probably believe that Lee Oswald killed Kennedy .
    
    The world has enough sheep , think for yourself .
    - samton909
      
      If I come to Canada can I get the same drugs you are on?
- 02worth
  
  How far up you butt has your head been?
- samton909
  
  Drugs are bad for you
- Christopher Carr
  
  Take your meds.
  - swage99
    
    Chris carr Your keep tell people to take meds ! You must be a real tart