The dynamic nature of Elon Musk is remarkable and ever expanding, one of the most important aerospace engineers in the modern world who first started off his career in 1995 with the launch of Zip2 which he co-founded with his brother. Zip2 Corp carried out work in relation to online city travel that facilitated transportation; essentially an online city guide for newspapers which included maps, yellow pages, etc. Elon founded SpaceX way back in 2002, his inspiration in aerospace dynamics and science came from his childhood fascination for science, physics and fiction. His desire to learn, adding a new perspective to space exploration, creating a highly effective reusable launch system, and—above all—the “Colonisation of Mars” have all seemed to be the driving forces behind his entire motivation since the start of his professional career.
The Starship project led by SpaceX is aiming to develop the world’s most powerful rocket to carry large payloads and/or humans to Mars, the moon and potentially beyond. The rockets have the facilities to be able to ‘relaunch’ and are designed to be reusable in nature. The Starship spacecraft is primarily made up of stainless steel and because of it’s excellent resistance to heat; makes it ideal for re-entry.
The Starship is roughly 50 meters tall and 9 meters wide and is powered by Raptor engines; a next-generation combustion cycle engine that runs on liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The rockets comprise the ‘Super heavy booster’ which functions in regard to launching the spacecraft into orbit and is powered by 33 Raptor engines which helps generate an immense thrust required to escape Earth’s gravity. Elon Musk’s thoughtful layout design of the rockets to allow for refuelling while in orbit, which facilitates travel to places like Mars or the Moon, is what distinguishes this project from others. The goal of both Starship and Super Heavy is to drastically lower the cost of space travel by being completely reusable. Given the abundance of resources and the crucial nature of such large-scale projects, it is possible that SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, would be held entirely liable for any major mishaps in the trial procedures or the overall operation of these projects. This is in line with the well-known saying from our inevitable indulgence in popular art culture: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
Notably, there have been some adverse effects of Starship project on the environment. The launch of multiple starship rockets has contributed a significant amount of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Starship rockets use liquid Methane and liquid oxygen as fuel. Methane is a widely reckoned greenhouse gas and plays a significant role in influencing the Earth’s radiative balance in the atmosphere, even the transportation, production or possible leakage of methane prior to combustion could have a negative environmental impact. Additionally, Starship’s construction is primarily contingent on stainless steel which is a material that requires a large amount of energy to produce with the extraction and processing of the raw materials needed for steel resulting in long term environmental degradation. Among other long term environmental effects such as exacerbating climate change and negative stratospheric effects; the development of launch sites and testing facilities for this project has caused a habitat disruption to local wildlife including species of sea turtles and various bird species in the regions around Boca Chica, Texas. Prolonged Rocket testing and launches could result in the release of hazardous, toxic materials such as hydrazine (used in rocket systems) which could contaminate local water sources as well as soil.
Nevertheless, with such large-scale endeavours adverse effects are a risk that lies on the heads of those who are willing to make a change for the better. Elon Musk has arguably done a significant job in creating that balance between the advancement of space technology and being an environmental philanthropist especially with how he has revolutionized the electric vehicle market with the introduction of Tesla motors and the project of the Boring Company and urban sustainability. Musk has strongly expressed his belief that colonizing Mars is essential for humanity’s long-term survival.
Elon’s belief that space exploration could be a unifying mission for humanity inspiring people across the world, offers a vision for the future much in resemblance to the Apollo missions during the 1960s. He believes that his allure for the unknown can create a new frontier to strive towards something that keeps the chase for knowledge and ultimately the creation of a safe living space and/or a second home. Musk believes that by establishing this self-sustaining colony on Mars, this could be a successful alternative if ever a deadly catastrophe was to hit the Earth. His approach is that making life multiplanetary would significantly increase the chances of human survival in the long run.
To sum up, Elon Musk’s Starship project represents a daring vision for the future of humanity, seeking to transform space exploration by increasing both the feasibility and the cost of interplanetary travel. It is impossible to ignore the project’s potential to promote world unity and push technological boundaries, even in light of the ethical and environmental issues that surround such massive endeavours. Musk’s commitment to building a sustainable, multiplanetary life demonstrates his conviction that ensuring humanity’s survival is crucial, offering a hopeful but difficult road map for our shared goals.
Nathan Darren Manuk, First Year LL.B. Student, Amity University, Kolkata
Anwesha Ghosh, Assistant Professor of Law, Amity University, Kolkata
