Elon Musk, the ever-visionary CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, is reaching for the stars—literally. On Friday, he hinted at a radical idea: renaming Mars to “New World” once humanity establishes a colony there. Musk took to X and reposted an image of the Martian landscape from Gale Crater by the Curiosity rover. He captioned it saying, “Mars will be called the “New World”, just as America was in past centuries.”
But for Musk, the name is only a small part of a grander vision that involves transforming the Red Planet into a thriving, self-sustaining hub for human civilization.
Why Mars? Musk’s bigger picture
Musk has long championed Mars as humanity’s “backup plan.” On X (formerly Twitter), he described it as “critical to the long-term survival of consciousness.” To Musk, Earth’s future is uncertain, and a thriving colony on Mars could ensure the continuity of human civilization in the face of catastrophic events.
“Earth is great, but it’s fragile. We need a backup,” Musk stated recently, underscoring his belief in Mars as humanity’s next frontier.
The SpaceX game plan
SpaceX’s Starship rocket is central to Musk’s Mars ambitions. Capable of carrying up to 100 passengers, the Starship is designed to make interplanetary travel affordable and frequent. Musk revealed that five uncrewed missions are planned over the next two years to deliver vital resources—water, oxygen, and fuel—and test equipment.
“Starship will make life multi-planetary, preserving life as we know it from extinction events on Earth,” Musk emphasized, with the first crewed mission potentially taking off in the early 2030s.
Musk also plans to harness Mars’ natural resources to build infrastructure, reducing dependency on Earth for essentials.
Critics push back
Not everyone shares Musk’s enthusiasm. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has been a vocal skeptic. “What’s the return on investment? Nothing,” Tyson recently remarked, questioning the feasibility of colonizing Mars.
Musk didn’t hold back in his response. “Wow, they really don’t get it. Mars is critical to the long-term survival of consciousness,” he fired back on X, defending his bold vision.
A playful idea with serious intentions
While the suggestion to rename Mars as “New World” adds a whimsical twist, Musk’s plans are anything but trivial. As SpaceX accelerates its efforts, Musk envisions Mars not just as a scientific endeavor but as humanity’s ultimate lifeline.
With Starship at the helm of his mission, Musk continues to challenge critics and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Whether the Red Planet becomes “New World” remains to be seen, but Musk’s message is clear: Mars is more than a dream—it’s a necessity.
