Elon Musk has set a new goal, one that’s going to make the International Space Station’s days numbered. As the richest man in the world and a key player in the space industry, Musk wants to travel to Mars and is making it his top priority. To achieve this, he’s looking to bid farewell to the ISS sooner rather than later – not in 2030 as previously planned, but in just two years.
The ISS, a crucial infrastructure for space research, has been marked for decommissioning. Musk, the owner of X and CEO of SpaceX, believes it has “served its purpose” and is no longer of significant use. He expressed this sentiment on social media, stating, “It’s time to start preparations to deorbit the ISS. It has served its purpose. There is very little potential use. Let’s go!” This announcement comes as Musk shares his ambitious goal of visiting Mars, a feat he hopes to achieve in the near future.
As the CEO of SpaceX, Musk’s company is tasked with building the vehicle that will push the ISS into the Earth’s atmosphere, causing it to fall into the Pacific Ocean, far from any coastal areas. SpaceX is also the primary subcontractor for NASA’s space missions, including the one that will potentially take humans to Mars aboard the Starship rocket. Interestingly, Donald Trump has proposed that Jared Isaacman, a close associate of Musk and a key supporter of SpaceX, take the helm at NASA.
Musk’s plans are undoubtedly ambitious, and his desire to expedite the ISS decommissioning process is a significant development in the space industry. As the world watches, it’s clear that Musk is dead set on making humanity a multi-planetary species, with Mars being the next great frontier. With SpaceX at the forefront of this effort, it will be fascinating to see how this journey unfolds.