Butitcouldbe a whilebeforethathappens, andtherearesignsNASA's getting a littleimpatient.
It's givenSpace X andBoeingbillionsofdollarswiththeexpectationthatthecompanieswouldbeflyingspacecraftwithcrewsonthemby 2017.
Thatdidn't happen.
Andthough a Space X capsulesuccessfullydockedwiththeInternationalspaceStationearlierthisyear, thespacecraftwasdestroyed a fewweekslaterwhen a failureoccurredduring a groundtest.
Still, Space X anditsCEO, ElonMusk, arepressingon, sayingreusablespacecraftlikeStarshipwillbekeytogettingpeopleinspaceanddoingitmoreaffordably.
Yourgoalhasalwaysbeentomakeus a multiplanetaryspeciestoestablish a colonyonMarstonight.
Today, theunveilingofStarshipisat a turningpointinthatmission.
Yeah, I thinkthisisthefirsttimewehaverielhardwareofsomethingthatis a cable, uh, with a littleevolutionofbeingsomethingthatcouldcreate a selfsustainingcityonMarsand a baseonthemoon.
Yousaidtonight, butyoumightbeflyingpeoplein a yearinthisthing.
Ifthedevelopmentcontinuestoimproveexponentially, then I thinkwecouldWecouldbesendingpeopletoorbitbeforetheendofnextyear.
I mean, I reallyviewwhatwe'redoinghereasmakinglifemultiplanetaryasopposedtoescapingEarth.
I thinklike 99% ofourresourceisshouldbeonmakingsurethatthefutureonEarthisgood.
But I thinkatleast 1% ofourresourceisshouldbeonmakinglikemultiplanetaryandextendingconsciousnessouttootherplanets, bothforthethedefensivereasonofpreservingthelightofconsciousnessintothefutureaswellastheadventure, theexcitement I findpersonallymoremotivatingthanthedefensivearguments.
Soyouprefertobeanoptimist?
Pessimists.
I mean, I thinkexcitementandadventureand a senseofpossibilityaboutthefutureareincrediblyimportant.
AndinthewakeofHurricaneDorian, whichhitthenorthernBahamasonthefirstofthismonth, Operation B B Q reliefwasatitagain, crossing a milestoneinthenumberofmealsit's delivered.