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While billionaires Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos have already strapped in for their first spaceflights aboard their respective companies' rockets, one major player is noticeably missing from the launchpad — Elon Musk.
Despite being the CEO of SpaceX, Musk did not join the first all-civilian mission launched by his company. In fact, he’s made it clear: he doesn’t plan to go to space — at least not anytime soon.
👨🚀 Musk’s Big Plans (Without Boarding a Rocket… Yet)
At the 2021 Code Conference, during an interview with tech journalist Kara Swisher, Elon Musk outlined his vision for humanity’s future in space — and it’s far more ambitious than a personal joyride.
His goals?
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A self-sustaining city on Mars
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A base on the Moon
When asked if SpaceX’s Starship was being built for him to travel to Mars, Musk clarified that the goal is not personal — it’s about making multiplanetary civilization possible.
On which will come first — the Moon or Mars — Musk replied, “Well, the Moon is close.”
📅 The Timeline to Mars — A Bit Ambitious?
Earlier in 2021, Musk had stated that SpaceX might be able to send humans to Mars in “five and a half years.” But he admitted it’s not a hard deadline, and that it depends on many technological breakthroughs in the years ahead.
Meanwhile, NASA has a more conservative estimate — projecting the first human-crewed mission to Mars to take place no earlier than 2033, as part of its Artemis program, which first aims to build a sustainable base on the Moon.
🌍 Musk’s Vision of Mars: Not Just Another Planet
Musk has long dreamed of terraforming Mars — turning the red planet into a more Earth-like world. “Over time, you can make Mars Earth-like by warming it up,” he said.
And while he’s not eager to be among the first to set foot on Mars, he said he'd be comfortable letting his children go on one of the third or fourth missions, but added humorously, "So far, none of them are jumping to go to Mars."
✨ “My Goal Isn’t to Send Myself Up”
When asked about his own spaceflight plans, Musk responded:
“My goal is not to send myself up. My goal is to open up space to humanity … and become a multiplanet species.”
That said, he hasn’t ruled it out entirely. “I’ll go up at some point,” he added.
Interestingly, Musk won’t necessarily make his first space trip with SpaceX. In July 2021, he bought a ticket to fly with Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. According to reports, the ticket was priced at $250,000, and Musk is now one of the 600+ people on the waitlist for a suborbital space ride.
Branson, who flew to the edge of space in July aboard Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity, was joined at the launch site in New Mexico by none other than Musk himself. Branson even tweeted a picture with Musk that morning, saying:
“Big day ahead. Great to start the morning with a friend. Feeling good, feeling excited, feeling ready.”
🛸 What Will Laws Look Like on Mars? Musk Has a Plan
In 2020, an unusual clause in the Starlink user agreement hinted at how Musk sees governance on Mars. It stated that Mars would be treated as a "free planet," not subject to Earth-based laws.
Here’s what the Starlink terms said:
“For services provided on Mars, or in transit to Mars via Starship or other colonization spacecraft, the parties recognize Mars as a free planet and that no Earth-based government has authority or sovereignty over Martian activities. Disputes will be settled through self-governing principles, established in good faith, at the time of Martian settlement.”
That’s right — Musk subtly laid the groundwork for a self-governed Martian colony, emphasizing freedom from Earthly legal systems.
🌌 Final Thoughts
While Elon Musk hasn’t launched himself into space yet, his ambitions are light-years ahead. His goal isn’t personal glory — it’s to push humanity beyond Earth, to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Whether or not we get there in five years or fifteen, one thing is certain: Musk is playing the long game.
And when he finally does take off? It might not even be in his own rocket.