It's one thing for humans to make it to the Red Planet, but what happens when we get there?

  • SpaceX chief Elon Musk discusses Mars city
  • Company plans to use Red Dragon spacecraft
  • Could people land in 2025?

That’s what SpaceX CEO Elon Musk discussed Tuesday at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Musk is now at the point where he’s discussing how we go about making a self-sustaining city on Mars. He also has plans for a “Mars Colonial Transporter” that includes a giant new rocket and spaceship that he said could deliver 100 people to Mars.

When will this happen? So far, Musk has said SpaceX plans to launch an unmanned Red Dragon spacecraft to Mars in 2018. A giant, new reusable rocket could fly as soon as 2022, the company said.

People could launch two years later, meaning humans could step foot on Mars in 2025.

One expert panel said the trip could cost up to $100 billion.