Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast. This is a show where we discuss the critical crossroads that shape SpaceX, Tesla X, The Boring Company and Neurolink. I'm your host, Will Walden. So it looks like Elon Musk might finally get the green light to really speed up development of the Starship rocket. Can you imagine what it would be like to see humans actually set foot on the Red Planet during your own lifetime?
Now the election of Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States is expected to have far reaching consequences for the American space program, particularly the plans of SpaceX and Elon Musk to send humans to Mars.
And according to four individuals familiar with the emerging space policy agenda of the incoming administration, NASA's Artemis program, which aims to use Spacex's Starship rocket to return astronauts to the moon as a stepping stone for future Mars missions, is likely to shift its focus more directly toward the Red Planet. Under Trump's leadership, this could involve targeting uncrewed missions to Mars within the current decade, a goal that is not only more challenging than
concentrating efforts on the moon, but also carries greater risks and potentially higher costs. The Musk, who has been an outspoken supporter of Trump and even danced on stage wearing an Occupy Mars T-shirt at a campaign rally in October, has successfully elevated the importance of space policy during this unusual period of presidential transition. Now, the billionaire entrepreneur also heads electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla and brain chip startup Neurolink contributed $119,000,000 to
Trump's White House bid. In September, just weeks after Musk publicly endorsed Trump, the former president told reporters that the moon served as a launching pad for his ultimate objective of reaching Mars. Now, Doug Navarro, which is a space industry consultant who previously LED NASA's Human Exploration Unit during Trump's first term, stated at a minimum, we're going to get a more realistic Mars plan. You'll see Mars being set as an
objective. This sentiment suggests that the Trump administration is likely to prioritize a more direct approach to Mars exploration, potentially accelerating the timeline for sending humans to the Red Planet. However, it is important to note the plans could still evolve as the Trump transition team takes shape in the coming weeks.
The sources cautioned that the specifics of the space policy may be subject to change as new advisors and officials are appointed to key positions within the administration. One of the primary factors that could facilitate Spacex's ambitions under a Trump presidency is the expected
reduction in regulatory hurdles. Musk, who has made cutting government regulation and streamlining bureaucracy a core tenet of his support for Trump, is likely to push for changes at the Federal Aviation Administration's Commercial Space Office. The FAA's oversight of private rocket launches has been a source of frustration for Musk as it has slowed down the development of Spacex's Starship rocket in Boca Chica star base. Texas Now.
The FAA did not immediately responded to a request from us for comment on this matter. Though now under the Trump administration, NASA is also expected to favor fixed price space contracts, the greater responsibility on private companies, while scaling back over budget programs that have stained the Artemis budget. Now, the shift in contracting approach could have significant implications for the SLS rocket,
the Space Launch System rocket. Now, it's currently the only rocket owned by NASA, and the development of the SLS, led by Boeing and Northrop Grumman since 2011, has cost roughly $24 billion to date. While canceling the SLS program would be challenging due to the potential loss of thousands of jobs and the increased reliance on SpaceX, the Trump administration may seek to restructure or streamline the program to better align with its space policy priorities.
Boeing and Northrop did not immediately respond to any of our requests for comment on this matter as well. Everyone's keeping their lips sealed now. Musk's timeline to reach Mars, which he outlined in September, includes landing a Starship on the Red Planet by 2026 and launching a crude mission just four years later. Although Trump has mentioned discussing these ideas with Musk at campaign rallies, many industry experts view this time land as overly optimistic and improbable.
Now, Scott Pace, who served as the top space policy official during Trump's first term, commented on the feasibility of Musk's plans, stating is it possible for Eli to put a Starship on the surface of Mars and a one way mission by the end of Trump's term? Absolutely. He certainly could do that. Is that a manned mission on Mars? No.
You have to walk before you run. Now, despite the challenges and uncertainty surrounding SpaceX is Mars plans, the company remains a major contractor for the US government. SpaceX has been awarded billions of dollars in contracts to launch satellites and provide other services, such as constructing a network of spy satellites.
Now, NASA has also specifically allocated around $4 billion for the development of Starship, which the space agency intends to use as a lunar Lander. The HLS, you know, Starship rocket is central to Musk's vision of transforming humanity
into a multi planetary species. And by drastically reducing the cost of launching people and equipment into space, Musk hopes that the massive rocket will enable the establishment of a self-sustaining colony on Mars. However, the development of Starship has come at a significant financial cost for SpaceX, with estimates suggesting that the project is currently absorbing more cash than it generates.
Tim Farrar, the president of TMF Associates, which is a firm that analyzes the satellite industry, noted that despite the substantial investment, the promise of Starship is something that is pretty important for SpaceX in terms of convincing investors to keep pouring money in at ever increasing valuations. And while the potential benefits of Starship are compelling, its development has not been without
environmental concerns. The Boca Chica launch site, located in Texas, is situated in the midst of state federally protected wetlands. Biologists have documented evidence that the noise and heat generated by launches have a detrimental impact on the eggs of nesting birds.
Furthermore, documents from the Environmental Protection Agency or the EPA, and an application submitted to Texas regulators indicate that each launch discharges 10s of thousands of gallons of water contaminated with chemicals from the launch into the surrounding environment. Now, of course, SpaceX has denied the charges about the discharge water that it poses any serious harm and maintains that it is irresponsible environmental steward.
In a statement released in September, the company asserted the narrative that we operate free of or in defiance of environmental regulation is demonstrably false. SpaceX is committed to minimizing impact and enhancing the surrounding environment where possible. However, environmental groups have expressed their disagreement with Spacex's assessment.
The Center for Biological Diversity and local environmental organizations are currently suing the FAA for failing to conduct a comprehensive environmental impact statement before permitting SpaceX to launch Starship even once from the Boca Chica site. Now, Jared Margolis, who's a senior lawyer leading the lawsuit, suggests that if regulators take a more lenient approach under a new Trump administration, the courts may assume a more prominent role in enforcing environmental
regulations, they said. We're not afraid of confronting the Trump administration. We're not afraid of making sure that environmental laws are being complied with. That's what we do now. The potential for increased environmental oversight through the courts underscores the complex web of factors that could influence the trajectory of Spacex's Mars plans under Trump.
Now, while the expected regulation reductions and hurdles are A and a more direct focus on Mars with NASA's Artemis program could provide a boost to Musk's plans, the environmental concerns surrounding the Boca Chica launch site in the ongoing legal challenges could pose significant obstacles in the future. Moreover, the feasibility of Musk's timeline for reaching Mars remains a point of contention among industry
experts. The technical challenge associated with safety landing and spacecraft landing on the Red Planet with people on board and establishing a sustainable human presence are immense, and many view Musk's projections as overly optimistic now. The prospect of a renewed focus on Mars exploration under the Trump administration has generated excitement and anticipation, however, is critical to approach these ambitious plans with a measure
of caution and realism. The exploration of Mars is an enormously complex and very expensive endeavor that will require sustained political support, robust funding, and close collaboration among various stakeholders, including government agencies like the FAA, NASA, etcetera. Also there we're going to be working with private industries and international partners to get there.
And as the Trump administration takes shape in the coming weeks and months, the specifics of its space agenda will become
clearer. The appointment of key officials and advisors, as well as the allocation of funds and resources and the establishment of priorities, will provide a more definitive picture of how the administration intends to support and shape the future of American space exploration, including the plans of Elon Musk and SpaceX to send humans on Mars. Now, regardless of politics, the dream of human exploration of Mars continues to capture all of
our imaginations. The prospect of establishing a permanent human presence on another world is a monumental milestone in the history of our species and holds the promise of expanding our understanding of the universe in our place within it. Hey, thank you so much for listening today. I really do appreciate your
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