Introduction and Speaker’s Credentials:

The President of the International Astronautical Federation introduced Elon Musk, Founder, CEO, and Lead Designer of SpaceX, at the concluding session of the ISC 2017 Global Networking Forum. The forum aimed to update the audience on SpaceX’s advancements since ISE 2016. The introductory speech acknowledged Musk’s work in space technology and his ambitions for human space colonization.

SpaceX’s Milestones:

The introduction also highlighted SpaceX’s significant achievements, including being the first private company to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station. Additionally, it became the first entity to land an orbital-class booster back on land and drone ships in the sea, and to refly an orbital-class booster.

Additional Roles:

Beyond SpaceX, Elon Musk also serves as the CEO of Tesla Motors and the chairman of SolarCity, expanding his influence in multiple sectors.

Importance of Being a Multi-Planet Species:

Elon Musk began by stressing the significance of becoming a multi-planetary species. He emphasized that having a spacefaring civilization makes the future more exciting and inspiring. The goal is not just about space exploration but also about fostering optimism regarding the future.

Motivational Aspect:

Musk discussed that being a spacefaring civilization inspires people to believe that the future will be better than the past. He concluded by expressing that the most exciting prospect would be to exist among the stars.

Financing Multi-Planetary Ambitions:

Elon Musk addressed the critical question of how SpaceX plans to finance their multi-planetary ambitions. Last year, financing was a significant challenge, but they have now figured out how to make it work by consolidating existing vehicles (Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Dragon) into one single system: the BFR (Big Falcon Rocket). Resources previously used for these now-redundant vehicles can be directed toward the new system.

Technological Advancements:

The new BFR design incorporates a large carbon fiber tank that holds 1,200 tons of liquid oxygen, crucial for a lightweight spaceship. The company developed a new carbon fiber matrix that has been successfully tested for its ability to withstand high pressures. On the engine side, the Raptor engine aims to be the most efficient, having already undergone extensive testing, offering the highest thrust-to-weight ratio of any known engine.

Propulsive Landing:

The development of reliable and precise propulsive landing technology is vital for planetary colonization, especially for celestial bodies with thin or no atmospheres. Falcon 9 has had 16 successful propulsive landings, and the BFR will be designed to land with multiple engines for higher reliability, matching the safety of commercial airliners.

Operational Scale:

Musk discussed the scale of operations necessary for a self-sustaining base on another planet. Ultimately, thousands of ships and tens of thousands of refueling operations would be needed, implying many launches per day, which would be a dramatic increase from current launch rates.

Automated Rendezvous and Docking:

Automated systems have been perfected for docking with the space station, vital for refueling in orbit. The Dragon capsule can currently dock without any human intervention, which is a significant step forward in automation.

Heat Shield Technology:

The heat shield technology has been developed to withstand extremely high temperatures during re-entry, essential for any planetary colonization system.

These updates signify critical progress toward SpaceX’s vision of humans becoming a multi-planet species.

Beginnings with Falcon 1:

Elon Musk starts by talking about Falcon 1, the first rocket developed by SpaceX. Contrary to popular belief that SpaceX became an overnight success with Falcon 9, Musk clarifies that they started small with a team that lacked experience in rocketry. Falcon 1 was SpaceX’s first attempt to deliver a payload of half a ton to low Earth orbit. The first three launches failed, and the fourth was successful, marking a critical milestone for the company.

Role as Chief Engineer:

Musk shares that he became the chief engineer not by choice but by necessity. He found it challenging to hire good talent in the early stages, and therefore took on the role himself, learning from the initial failures.

Falcon 9 and Reusability:

Moving on to Falcon 9, Musk highlights its significant capabilities compared to Falcon 1. Falcon 9 can carry around 30 times the payload of Falcon 1 and features reusability of the primary booster, which is the most expensive part of the rocket. SpaceX aims for 70-80% reusability with Falcon 9.

Challenges with Falcon Heavy:

Musk delves into the complexities involved in developing Falcon Heavy, initially presumed to be a simple scaling of Falcon 9. The development required almost an entire redesign, except for the upper stage, to accommodate increased loads. It took longer than expected but has now reached the testing phase.

Introduction of BFR:

Finally, Musk talks about the ongoing development of the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR). This fully reusable rocket is expected to have a payload capability of 150 tons to low Earth orbit. The BFR’s main body diameter is about nine meters, and it will be lifted by 31 Raptor engines, providing a significant leap in capabilities and cost-effectiveness compared to its predecessors.

Emphasis on Cost-Efficiency:

Towards the end, Musk hints that a primary advantage of these advancements, particularly with the BFR, will be a drastic reduction in costs, although he does not elaborate on the specifics.

Early Days and Struggles:

Elon Musk details the inception of SpaceX, starting with the Falcon 1 rocket. The company initially had a small team with limited expertise in rocket science. The first three Falcon 1 launches failed, putting the company on the brink of collapse. The fourth launch succeeded, setting the stage for SpaceX’s future endeavors.

Evolution from Falcon 1 to Falcon 9:

Musk emphasizes the difference in scale and capability between Falcon 1 and Falcon 9. The Falcon 9 can carry around 30 times more payload and has an advanced reusability feature, aiming for 70-80% reusability. The Falcon Heavy, SpaceX’s next project, proved more complex to develop than anticipated due to the need for redesigning almost everything except the upper stage to handle increased loads.

BFR’s Design and Versatility:

The BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) is designed for full reusability and is significantly larger and more versatile than its predecessors. It features a delta wing for pitch and roll control, essential for a variety of payloads and atmospheric conditions. BFR is aimed at generalizing SpaceX’s capability to land anywhere in the solar system.

Ship Details:

The ship part of BFR will have an eight-story-tall payload bay and the capability to carry 100 people per flight to Mars in a mass transit configuration. The internal area is more spacious than an A380 plane and designed for long-term travel.

Engine and Propellant:

The ship will use sub-cooled methane and oxygen as propellants, increasing density by 10-12%. It will feature six engines capable of gimbling for precise control. The design aims to minimize landing risks and ensure redundancy.

Propellant Transfer and Versatility:

Refilling in space is described as simple, using control thrusters to guide propellant flow between ships. The refilling mechanism is designed to be the same as the one used for booster attachment during liftoff.

Rocket Capability:

Musk closes by comparing the payload capabilities of SpaceX’s rocket lineup, highlighting that the BFR will be capable of carrying 150 tons to low Earth orbit, which dwarfs Falcon Heavy’s 30-ton payload.

This summary captures the key developments and specifications shared by Elon Musk in regard to SpaceX’s rocket evolution and the advanced capabilities of the BFR.

Significance of Reusability:

Elon Musk emphasizes the importance of reusability in space travel by comparing rockets to aircraft. While traditional rockets are expendable, resulting in higher costs per launch, reusable systems like the BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) offer an economically viable alternative. He uses the analogy of an aircraft, pointing out that fully reusable, larger planes like a 747 are significantly cheaper than single-use, smaller aircraft.

Launch Costs and Payload:

Musk explains that although a reusable rocket might compromise on payload, the reduction in launch costs far outweighs this limitation. The idea is similar to aircraft, which could technically carry more if they were designed to be expendable but would be economically unfeasible in that case.

Orbital Refilling:

He highlights the concept of orbital refilling as a game-changer for space travel. Without refilling, BFR could take 150 tons to low orbit but would lack the fuel for further travel. Orbital refilling, which is economically feasible due to low propellant costs, allows the same rocket to transport 150 tons all the way to Mars.

Cannibalizing Existing Products:

Musk discusses how investing in a unified, superior product like BFR would eventually make their existing products like Falcon 9 and Dragon redundant. He adds that resources can be reallocated to BFR, funded by their current revenue streams like satellite launches and space station servicing.

BFR’s Versatility:

The BFR, with its nine-meter diameter, offers more than just payload capacity. It enables the launch of satellites larger than ever before, assists in space debris collection, and even has the potential to service the International Space Station. It can carry out lunar surface missions without requiring local propellant production, facilitating the possibility of a lunar base.

Lunar Exploration:

Musk envisions the BFR as being capable of lunar missions, even without the need for local propellant production on the moon. He suggests that the ship could park in a high elliptic orbit, refuel, and then head to the moon and back, enabling the establishment of a moon base.

In summary, Musk focuses on the paradigm shift that reusability and orbital refilling can bring to space travel, making missions more economical and versatile, with the BFR as a focal point for these innovations.

Mult-planetary Species:

Elon Musk emphasizes the importance of becoming a multi-planetary species, asserting that it would be more advantageous than remaining confined to Earth. He proposes sending missions to Mars to kickstart this vision.

Mission Strategy:

Musk outlines the mission’s approach: launching a spaceship into orbit around Earth, refilling its fuel tanks, and then setting course for Mars. Upon landing on the Martian surface, which is rocky or dusty, the spacecraft would require local propellant production for its return journey.

Propellant Production on Mars:

Mars’ CO2 atmosphere and water ice would facilitate the production of CH4 (methane) and O2 (oxygen) via the Sabatier process. This technology could also be applied long-term on Earth to create a sustainable rocket fuel supply.

Rocket Propulsion:

Addressing criticism about using combustion in rockets while advocating electric cars, Musk explains that electric rockets are currently not feasible. However, future Mars technologies, like extracting CO2 from the atmosphere, could also be applied on Earth.

Returning to Earth:

Musk highlights the need for a propellant depot on Mars to refuel the tanks for the return journey to Earth. He notes that the lower gravity on Mars eliminates the need for a booster, enabling the spacecraft to return to Earth as a single stage.

Construction and Timeline:

Musk indicates that construction on the first Mars-bound ship will begin within 6 to 9 months. He aims to be ready for launch within five years, targeting the 2022 Mars rendezvous. Subsequent missions in 2024 would involve four ships, two cargo, and two crewed.

Initial Missions and Long-term Vision:

The primary goal of initial missions is to locate the best source of water on Mars. The second mission aims to construct a propellant plant. Musk envisions a gradual expansion, building up a Martian city and, over time, terraforming Mars to make it a hospitable environment.

In summary, Elon Musk presents a detailed vision for Mars colonization, from mission planning and propulsion technologies to long-term sustainability and growth.

Martian Sky:

Elon Musk opens with an intriguing observation about Mars: the sky is blue during dawn and dusk but red during the day, the opposite of Earth’s sky.

Earthly Applications of Martian Technology:

Musk introduces the idea that ships designed to travel to Mars could also be used for high-speed, long-distance travel on Earth. The same ship, traveling at approximately 27,000 kilometers per hour, could transform terrestrial travel.

Propulsive Landing:

He emphasizes the importance of getting propulsive landing right, especially given the ship’s extremely high travel speed. This aspect of landing becomes crucial both for Earth and Mars missions.

Speed and Efficiency:

Musk notes that most long-distance trips on Earth would be completed in less than half an hour using this technology. The absence of atmospheric friction in space contributes to this efficiency.

Smooth Travel:

Once the ship exits Earth’s atmosphere and is in space, the travel would be remarkably smooth. There would be no turbulence or weather to contend with, making the journey comfortable.

Interplanetary Technology for Earth:

Musk concludes by questioning why, if we are developing technology capable of going to the Moon and Mars, we should not use it for terrestrial travel as well. The potential applications of space technologies could significantly impact how we move around on our own planet.

In summary, Elon Musk explores the possibility of using spacecraft designed for Mars as a means of revolutionizing long-distance travel on Earth. He emphasizes the importance of propulsive landing and the advantages of space travel, like the absence of friction and turbulence.