SpaceX Evolution (Chapter 16)
A serialized version of this book for SubStack
Link to First Installment: https://chrisprophet.substack.com/p/spacex-evolution
CHAPTER 16: NEW FRONTIERS
“People tell us we’re crazy every day, but we need to ignore that and push forward. We are trying to find a breakthrough in propulsion technology that allows us to go beyond the Moon, beyond Mars, beyond the entire Solar System. Certainly, within 50 years we’ll have a path that will allow us to fly to other worlds.”1 ~ Gwynne Shotwell/CTECH
If SpaceX accomplish their ambition of interstellar transport, they will ascend to become the preeminent force for humanity’s future. This step, while inordinately ambitious, has been clearly outlined by senior management and likely enshrined as their guiding mission, once they conquer Mars, the main belt and outer planets. Essentially there’s too much potential in other stars for the following generations to ignore and the megacorporation needs to set an inspiring direction, to not lose its way.
If there was any doubt as to SpaceX’s preeminence, this is when the truth could not be ignored. The ability to open up whole new star systems would allow SpaceX unbridled possibilities, undreamt of by Wall Street. Other sentients are out there, probably as foreign to what we call life as computer intelligence is to organic; likely these will be added to the collective superstate, subjugated by technological products similar to Earth. It seems unlikely any sane sentience we encounter would forcefully oppose the superstate, anyone who could hurl objects at near-light, or even superluminal speed, would be the wrong person to pick a fight with. Even a relatively small mass traveling at relativistic speed could completely devastate a planet, so it seems likely extrasolar travelers would be grudgingly welcomed, instead of met with antagonism, at least by any who approximate sentience.
Alternately…
If SpaceX merge into X.com, then become engrossed in the day-to-day operation of a nascent Mars colony, this could diffuse effort and effectively shift corporate goals. The company would necessarily grow and require a more bureaucratic approach to manage all these new responsibilities, possibly making it less efficient at delivering new technologies. This could provide opportunities for lean and hungry startups to supply competing technologies and possibly allow one or more to assume SpaceX’s role as vanguard(s) for space exploration.
While any new Mars settlement might appear the perfect place for SpaceX operations, this apparent idyllic situation might actually work to their disadvantage over the long-term. The company has had to fight, bite and claw its way to achieve launch supremacy on Earth, which has granted them incredible fortitude and unity of purpose. However, if Mars becomes their powerbase, free from competition and regulation, they might well lose some of those qualities, even become stodgy.
Fortunately Elon seems aware and planned ahead for this eventuality, by specifying Mars should be self-governing, to limit SpaceX involvement. However, it might realistically take 20 or 30 years to establish such a settlement, at which point Elon would be primed for retirement…
Either way, once the bounds of Earth are broken, humanity will leap from world to world in an endless journey of exploration. Whether this is managed by SpaceX or some ‘prodigal son’ seems of little issue, the only importance is it will happen. The choices for mankind are stark: either we evolve into a spacefaring species or die here on Earth.
Link to next installment: https://chrisprophet.substack.com/p/spacex-evolution-conclusions
1 https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3889710,00.html