'Dangerous illusion': Top UK astronomer criticizes Musk's Mars colonization plan
What's the story
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has come under criticism for his ambitious plan to establish a one-million-strong colony on Mars by 2050. The critique comes from Martin Rees, a renowned astrophysicist and the UK's Astronomer Royal. In a podcast interview, Rees labeled Musk's plans as dangerous and delusional, questioning the practicality of such vision. "The idea of mass migration to avoid the Earth's problems, which he and a few other space enthusiasts adopt, that, I think, is a dangerous illusion."
Comparison
Rees draws parallels between Mars colonization and climate change
Rees, while acknowledging Musk as an "extraordinary figure," expressed his concerns about the feasibility of terraforming Mars. He drew a comparison between this monumental task and the challenge of tackling climate change on Earth. "I don't think it's realistic and we've got to solve those problems here on Earth," he said. "Dealing with climate change on Earth is a doddle compared to making Mars habitable. So I don't think we should hold that out as a long-term aim at all."
Funding
Rees advocates for privately funded space exploration
Rees suggested that future space exploration should be privately funded, rather than relying on taxpayers' money. "Only people who really have a high appetite for risk should be going into space, and they should be privately funded," he said. The statement comes amidst SpaceX's ongoing collaboration with NASA. He argued that government-led space missions are bound by safety obligations, which can significantly escalate costs. Rees proposed that most space exploration tasks and construction work should be carried out by robots.