Space For Sale
PC Magazine|August 2017

How the private space industry will reinvent economics, exploration, and humanity. 

Evan Dashevsky
Space For Sale

The rise of the private space industry may be just what is needed to kickstart our much-delayed destiny in the final frontier. Throughout history, the pursuit of profit has proven to be a fantastic spur for advancement and innovation. Just how this will all play out is anyone’s guess, for now. But the wheels are most definitely in motion.

Last September, Elon Musk, CEO and lead designer for Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), took the stage at the annual International Astronautical Congress conference in Guadalajara, Mexico to outline his vision for invading Mars. The plan—a combination of technical specificity and operational vagueness—sets the stage for making us a multi-planetary species by prestocking Mars via a steady parade of unmanned supply missions, which will embark every 26 months when the two planets align in their respective orbits.

These initial one-way trips will take around 80 days with today’s technology, but Musk believes they can eventually be shortened to 30-day voyages. Once Mars is properly supplied with a bounty of necessary Earth stuff, the humans will begin to arrive. If all goes according to plan, SpaceX’s first robotic landers will touch down on Mars in the early 2020s.

This story is from the August 2017 edition of PC Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 2017 edition of PC Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM PC MAGAZINEView All
AUDIO
PC Magazine

AUDIO

AUDIO

time-read
1 min  |
December 2022
SMART HOME
PC Magazine

SMART HOME

SMART HOME

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2022
T Mobile
PC Magazine

T Mobile

Mobile

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2022
Apple TV 4K 3rd Generation): Best for the Apple-Centric
PC Magazine

Apple TV 4K 3rd Generation): Best for the Apple-Centric

A powerful, feature-rich media streamer that’s pricier than most

time-read
7 mins  |
December 2022
20 Tips for Leveling Up Your Work-at-Home Game
PC Magazine

20 Tips for Leveling Up Your Work-at-Home Game

Whether you're new to working remotely or just looking fo do if beffer, fhese fips can help you stay productive and maintain balance.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2022
12 Google Calendar Tricks You're Probably Not Using
PC Magazine

12 Google Calendar Tricks You're Probably Not Using

Wondering how to share your Google Calendar? Want to add a new calendar? Here are the tips you need.

time-read
6 mins  |
November 2022
SimpliSafe Home Security System: Affordable Ease of Use
PC Magazine

SimpliSafe Home Security System: Affordable Ease of Use

Affordable security with a focus on flexibility

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2022
Honda Unveils First All-Electric SUV, Built on GM's Battery Platform
PC Magazine

Honda Unveils First All-Electric SUV, Built on GM's Battery Platform

The Honda Prologue battery-electric SUV arrives in 2024 and will use the Ultium battery technology developed by General Motors.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2022
We Must Save Streaming Video Before It’s Too Late
PC Magazine

We Must Save Streaming Video Before It’s Too Late

A generation of art risks extinction if the companies that own streaming services don’t believe their vast libraries are worth preserving. We have to act now to save it.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2022
If You Have a Uterus, Don't Buy an Apple Watch
PC Magazine

If You Have a Uterus, Don't Buy an Apple Watch

New women's health and reproductive features in the Apple Watch 8 and Ultra have the potential to cause harm following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2022