SpaceX Mars Base Alpha in late 2030s

A few hours ago SpaceX posted on their Flickr account 4K resolution versions of the previously released renders with the new design of Starship. Here is a closeup (open image link in new tab for best resolution) from one of them with Starship launching from Mars Base Alpha. According to our speculated Mars Colonization Timeline the first human base on Mars could be developed to the pictured level by late 2030s.

SpaceX Starship launching from Mars Base Alpha

In yesterdays SpaceX's Starship update Elon Musk teased a new concept image of Starship launching from Mars Base Alpha (1st image). The new design of the Starship was also included into an older concept image of Mars Base Alpha and posted on SpaceX's Twitter account (2nd image). Open link in new tab to view image in full resolution.

Slides from SpaceX Starship 2019 update presentation by Elon Musk

Today SpaceX CEO and lead designer Elon Musk provided an update of SpaceX's Starship design. Here are slides and animations from his presentation (open link in new tab to view image in full resolution).

Basic info about the new Starship:

Layout of Starship Raptor engines:

Super Heavy booster layout:

Starship comparison with Starhopper and Millennium Falcon:

Candidate sites for SpaceX Starship Mars landings revealed

[on September 2 info & map updated with additional two possible landing sites]

Robert Zimmerman from BehindTheBlack.com has found several images labelled as "Candidate Landing Site for SpaceX Starship [..]" in the latest data release from University of Arizona's HiRISE camera (aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter). It means that with help from NASA SpaceX is already quietly evaluating the best place where to land first Starships on Mars. Here are direct links to HiRISE image of: Site 1, Site 2, Site 3, Site 4, Site 5 (in Arcadia Planitia) & Site 6 (in Phlegra Montes).

For several years it hasn't been a secret SpaceX is considering four Martian regions for landings: Deuteronilus Mensae, Phlegra Montes, Utopia Planitia and southern Arcadia Planitia. But even in 2017 southern Arcadia Planitia looked "more promising", according to Paul Wooster, Principal Mars Development Engineer at SpaceX. So by now SpaceX may very well be down to evaluating more precise landing sites in that region.

All the candidate landing sites (except #6 in Phlegra Montes) are located on the border between Amazonis Planitia and Arcadia Planitia. According to latest data, Arcadia Planitia is one of the few regions where abundant shallow ice is present at relatively low latitudes. There is strong evidence that this location holds buried ice glaciers. So it has two critical elements looked by SpaceX for its Mars Base Alpha: solar energy and water. Those are critical not only for life support but also for refueling Starships. It's also in low altitude meaning a bit higher air pressure than in higher areas on Mars; that is beneficial for radiation protection and creates more atmospheric drag during the landing.

We made a map of all of the candidate sites:

60 year challenge for humanity: 1969 - Moon, 2029 - Mars

Today 50 years ago first humans - 2 out of 3 Apollo 11 crew members Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin - landed on the Moon. But since then the advancement of human space exploration has been slow. It changed only in recent years with the rise of private space companies, especially SpaceX with its determined focus on rocket reusability and colonization of Mars. Now we have a real chance to land first humans on Mars as soon as 10 years from now, maybe even sooner.

HD quality official renders of SpaceX Starship at Mars Base Alpha and on the Moon

In April Elon Musk on his Twitter profile teased two new renders with SpaceX's Starship on the Moon and at Mars Base Alpha. Unfortunately those were low resolution images. Now we have a HD resolution versions (press Open link in new tab to view) of those renders from SpaceX's Principal Mars Development Engineer Paul Wooster's presentation at Humans to Mars summit 2019 organized by Explore Mars.

New official renders of SpaceX Starship on the Moon & at Mars Base Alpha

Today Elon Musk revealed on his Twitter two more renders of SpaceX's Starship on the Moon and at Mars Base Alpha:

New official renders of SpaceX Starship landing at Mars Base Alpha

Today Elon Musk visited Doyle Ryder Elementary school in Flint, Michigan and demonstrated a new video of SpaceX's Starship. Here are some render images from that presentation with Starship landing at Mars Base Alpha. Forgive the poor quality of the images as they were captured by a camera; we will definitely get better quality official renders in the future.

SpaceX Starship at Mars Base Alpha by Gravitation Innovation

Picture of the Day 3/3/2019 - SpaceX's stainless steel Starship, Starman and Tesla Roadster at Mars Base Alpha by Gravitation Innovation.

SpaceX spaceport on Mars by Mike Winkelmann (beeple)

Picture of the Day 20/1/2019 - vision of a futuristic SpaceX spaceport on Mars by digital fantasy artist Mike Winkelmann, better known as beeple. More of his art here.

(Open link in new tab to view ⇩ in full resolution)

SpaceX stainless steel Starships at Mars Base Alpha by William Falconer-Beach

Picture of the Day 16/1/2019 - SpaceX's stainless steel Starships at Mars Base Alpha; fan-art by William Falconer-Beach. More of his Starship renders here.

(Open link in new tab to view ⇩ in HD wallpaper resolution)

Elon future on Mars by Victor Hegger

Possible future on Mars inspired by Elon Musk - a drawing by Dutch comic artist Victor Hegger. More of his art here.

(Open link in new tab to view ⇩ in full resolution)

SpaceX base on Mars in late 2030s

Picture of the Day 21/10/2017 - SpaceX base on Mars, featuring a transparent geodesic dome - a closeup from official Mars City concept image by SpaceX. Acording to our speculated Mars Colonization Timeline the first human base on Mars could be developed to the pictured level in late 2030s.

(Open link in new tab to view ⇩ in full resolution)

"Making life multiplanetary". Official schematics for BFR by Elon Musk, SpaceX

Today SpaceX CEO and lead designer Elon Musk provided an update of SpaceX vision to make life multiplanetary and colonize Mars. Previous name for the colonization class SpaceX booster&spaceship - "Interplanetary Transport System" - has been dropped and now Musk referred to it by the old acronym - BFR*.

Here are video, schematics and images from his presentation (open link in new tab to view image in full resolution):

Lunar surface missions:

SpaceX Mars mission architecture and Mars Base Alpha buildup:

SpaceX spaceships near the Mars City

Picture of the Day 29/9/2017 - Several SpaceX spaceships near the Mars City. Official design by SpaceX.

(Click on image to view in 4K resolution)

Updated with the 4K quality image on 19th October, 2017.

SpaceX ITS spaceship at Mars Base Alpha by Mark Thrimm

Picture of the Day 20/9/2017 - SpaceX ITS spaceship at Mars Base Alpha from Kerbal Space Program simulation game mod by Mark Thrimm.

Here you can watch the full video presentation of the mod:

SpaceX ITS spaceships at Mars Base Alpha by Maciej Rebisz

Picture of the Day 12/7/2017 - SpaceX ITS spaceships at Mars Base Alpha or "Alpha Site" by Polish digital painter Maciej Rebisz. More of his art here.

(Open link in new tab to view ⇩ in full resolution)

Some close-ups of the painting:

SpaceX spaceship at Mars base by Bryan Versteeg

Picture of the Day 29/9/16. It was inevitable Elon Musk's presentation of SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System will inspire a lot of fan art based around the design of the Mars Vehicle (could we call the "ship" part of Interplanetary Transport System by the old name - Mars Colonial Transporter?). One of the first is made by talented modern space artist Bryan Versteeg - a Mars base built around a landed SpaceX Mars Colonial Transporter.

(Open link in new tab to view ⇩ in full resolution)