Elon Musk aims to build spaceship to colonize Mars

Elon Musk unveiled plans on Friday to build a spacecraft that will help his company, SpaceX, build a base on the moon and colonize Mars.

Musk hopes to launch the spacecraft, codenamed the BFR (Big F–king Rocket), by 2022 and fly to Mars four times by 2024, reports the Guardian.

The craft would also be able to let people travel to any point in the world within an hour.

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Musk proposed a similar project last year, but failed to find funding. He now intends to “cannibalize” other SpaceX projects to get funds.

Many of SpaceX’s other smaller rockets operate to transport satellites into orbit and make deliveries to the International Space Station. Musk wants the BFR to replace these smaller rockets.

SpaceX is also trying to cut costs with reusable spaceships and aggressively pursue more economical designs.

“It’s really crazy that we build these sophisticated rockets and then crash them every time we fly,” Musk said. “This is mad.”

He said his company has also been able to take advantage of comparatively low fuel prices to keep costs down.

Construction of the BFR will begin at the start of 2018.

“I feel fairly confident that we can complete the ship and be ready for a launch in five years,” Musk said.