The much-awaited Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) of SpaceX has been finally unveiled. Founder and CEO Elon Musk introduced the Mars mission spacecraft in Mexico on Tuesday and also promised a fun ride to the people who wish to take a trip to the Red Planet.
Elon Musk brought down the curtains on his company's flagship spacecraft i.e. Interplanetary Transport System in Mexico during a conference, reports Space.com. The CEO said that ITS will combine the most powerful rocket and it will be able to carry at least 100 people in every flight to the Red Planet. Disclosing his vision, he said that if everything happens according to the plan, it will also help establish a colony on Mars in the next 50 to 100 years.
He revealed that he wants to make Mars seem possible as in make it look like something that humans could do in their lifetimes. Talking about ITS, he wrote on Twitter that the ITS booster will have 42 raptor engines and its rocket will be a scaled-up version of the first stage of Falcon 9 booster. When the ITS will be aligned with its crewed spaceship, it will become the largest spaceflight system ever built.
Musk also shed light on the Mars trip and said that the spaceship will lift off with little fuel and maximize the payload. As far as travelers are concerned, he said that at least 100 and if possible, 200 people could also be transported in one trip. There might also be luxurious amenities like movie theaters and restaurants as he categorically said that the trip will be like really fun to go.
As for time taken to complete the trip, Musk said that the powerful raptor engine of ITS will allow it to make the trip in just 80 days but this will be in the initial phase. Later, it will be able to cut the travel time and the trips would take just 30 days or so. Also, when the ITS gets into the fully operational mode, 1,000 or more similar ships will start ferrying people to the Red Planet.
It may be mentioned here that at present it takes six to nine months for space crafts to reach Mars.
