SpaceX Reveals Plans to Build Colony on the Moon

Hawthorne, CA December 28, 2020 - SpaceX today revealed ambitious plans to establish a long-term human presence on the moon. By 2028, SpaceX aims to start transporting groups of 100 people at a time to an initial lunar base and colony.

"SpaceX was founded with the belief that space exploration could help ensure the long-term survival of humanity," said CEO Elon Musk, explaining the motivation behind the company's sudden focus on the moon. "Establishing an outpost on the moon is an important step toward that goal."

Musk unveiled details of SpaceX's proposed Starship Earth-moon Transit System, or SETS, which includes massive new ships and boosters intended for deep space exploration. The system is set for test flights beginning in 2023. If successful, SpaceX could send up to 400 people at a time to develop infrastructure for life on the moon, scientific discovery and preparation for eventual human missions to Mars.

The first pilgrims to SpaceX's moon base would arrive on the lunar surface in 2028 aboard Starship, which is still under development. Early crews would focus on constructing pressurized habitats, rovers, laboratories and greenhouses for long-term human presence. Musk envisions lavish lunar hotels, restaurants, casinos and other enterprises to attract future space tourists.

While SpaceX seeks private investment for its lunar colony vision, some critics argue space travel should remain in the purview of government space agencies for now. Safety and oversight are major concerns, given the technical challenges of such a complex and ambitious program. There are also disagreements over SpaceX's business interests in space rather than the pursuit of scientific discovery.

However, proponents of private spaceflight note that by lowering costs and increasing access, SpaceX could open up space exploration to more people than ever before. The company also aims to develop revolutionary new technologies, like giant rocket reusability, that could benefit space agencies and benefit life on Earth.

Whether truly feasible or reckless, SpaceX's audacious plan to establish a lunar base and spaceport is sure to reshape space travel and space colonization. A new era of space exploration and even space settlement may now be within sight - provided the critics are addressed and technical hurdles overcome. The future is hard to predict, but if SpaceX succeeds, we could all become space colonists.

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