As a species, we need multiple paths to survival. One of which is living in space. With this in mind, companies like SpaceX have plans to colonize Mars. But why Mars? It is the next most habitable planet after Earth. It contains water, temperatures that are not too hot nor too cold, enough sunlight, ability to adapt to its gravity, an atmosphere, and similar day/night rhythm’s to Earth.
Elon Musk wants to make a reality, starting by sending humans to Mars in 2024. Musk first plans by testing “planet hops” to refuel rockets in 2019. In 2020, SpaceX’s Starship testing will begin and eventually reach Mars in 2022 without humans. Assuming all goes well, Musk plans on sending humans to Mars in 2024 (with two unmanned cargo ships) the next time Earth and Mars are aligned. The very next year in 2025, Mars’s first human colony could appear, which would eventually expand into towns and eventually cities, offering habitats, greenhouses, life support, etc. By 2050, Musk is aiming for an entire city. By 2117, The United Arab Emirates wants to see a city of 600,000 people.
If this doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what will.
Kyle's Solar System Blog 
If they are really sending humans to Mars in 2024, that is just two years after my graduation [exclamation mark!!!] And it is so very hard to believe that people are building a colony on Mars only one year later than sending the first human! As Musk is aiming for a city by 2050, are there really plans for building all the infrastructure on a planet with temperature -195 °F to 70 °F? Or is it just a really general and vague blueprint?
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Elon is definitely an interesting guy and certainly a dreamer. I wonder if the discrepancy in the gravity of Mars and Earth would cause issue for those going to Mars. Would everyone who is born on Earth and sent to Mars have to stay because of the weaker gravity’s (38%) effect on their bones and bodies?
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From a TA: These are definitely exciting times for space exploration! There are many challenges involved in addition to physically getting people there. NASA’s Twin study highlighted a number of medical issues that occur in long term space travel. That coupled with Mars’ lower surface gravity could cause long term issues for future colonizers.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-twins-study-results-published-in-science
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Where in space is Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster now? https://www.theinforadar.com/2019/05/where-in-space-is-elon-musks-tesla.html
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