Alpha Complex - SpaceX’s first Space Station

Mars Colonization Will Require Orbital Infrastructure at Scale

Currently SpaceX are focused on developing their Starship vehicle into a Human Landing System for moon missions, as part of the NASA’s Artemis program. Intriguingly they are also developing their own EVA space suits (used for spacewalks) and adapting Starship to become a “low-Earth orbit destination element,” although neither of these efforts are technically required for moon landings. Considering SpaceX are funding these divergent developments themself, this suggests they are vital to their future plans, which largely revolve around Mars.

SpaceX want to create a city of a million people on Mars to ensure this distant colony is self sustaining and materially independent from Earth. This will require an inordinate number of launches, currently they plan to send at least 1,000 Starships to Mars during the month long transfer window, which occurs once every 26 months. Launching 1,000 Starships in a single month, would place an excessive burden on launch facilities and personnel, hence they will likely spread these launches over the 26 month period, and steadily accumulate Starships in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) ready to depart. Then, once the Mars transfer window opens, the entire fleet would set-off for Mars, ideally traveling in convoy to provide mutual guidance and support. However, this prodigious feat will require significant orbital infrastructure to overcome some practical and logistic issues, before they can scale to this unprecedented level of operation.

Starship station, credit Cuzza Futurism