Elon Musk, known for his ambitious projects, believes that Mars will become a “New World” for Earthlings once humanity establishes a colony there. The idea, voiced in a post on X (formerly Twitter), underpins Musk’s larger vision of transforming the Red Planet into a self-sufficient hub for human civilization.

“Mars will be called the “New World”, just as America was in past centuries. Such an inspiring adventure!” he wrote.

Why Mars?

Musk has long considered Mars a “backup plan” for humanity, calling it critical to the long-term survival of consciousness. In his view, Earth is so fragile that it is important to create a self-sustaining colony that can preserve civilization in the event of global catastrophes.

“Earth is great, but it’s fragile. We need a backup,” Musk said recently.

And he sees Mars as the next frontier for humanity.

SpaceX's Plan: The Road to Mars

A key role in the future Mars colonization project is played by the Starship rocket, a SpaceX development capable of carrying up to 100 passengers. Musk has announced five unmanned missions that will deliver resources and equipment to Mars over the next two years. The first manned mission is planned for the early 2030s.

Musk also plans to use the planet's own resources to build infrastructure, which will reduce dependence on Earth and speed up the creation of a colony.

Criticism and skepticism

As expected, not everyone shares Musk's optimism. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has questioned the return on investment in the colonization of Mars and the viability of this project.

Musk, in turn, defends his plan:

“Wow, they really don’t get it. Mars is critical to the long-term survival of consciousness,” he wrote in X.