Part 3/10:
One of the foremost obstacles to this vision is that, as of now, SpaceX has yet to successfully operate a reusable Starship, a critical component for cost-effective interplanetary travel. Although a test flight was successfully completed in March 2024, significant milestones such as regular operations and crewed missions to Mars are still pending. Musk has had to revise his predictions multiple times, suggesting humans may first land on Mars in 2029.
Moreover, the sheer number of spacecraft and able-bodied settlers needed poses formidable logistical challenges, presenting hurdles in aspects like funding and supply chains essential for sustaining life on Mars.