SpaceX and NASA
These two space companies are probably the most relevant when it comes to Mars missions. However,
their approach is not as similar as you might think. Let's take a closer look.
SpaceX
SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corporation) is a private US company involved in space
travel. Elon Musk, the founder of PayPal and Tesla, founded this company. SpaceX was founded with
two main goals: to make rockets reusable and to spread human life to other planets, like Mars.
SpaceX's current project is the so-called Starship. Again, the goal is to build a completely
reusable rocket. This also makes it very cost-effective. SpaceX wants to use Starship for many
different missions. For example, they will transport satellites into outer space or even dock with
the ISS (International Space Station). Starship has also been integrated into NASA's Artemis
project. SpaceX received almost 3 billion dollars for it. The most decisive use for Starship is the
last one: SpaceX designed Starship for interplanetary missions. This rocket will be used to go to
Mars. At the moment, Starship is still in its test phase.
NASA
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is an American space company. It was founded in
1958. NASA's goal is to improve life on Earth. They also want to expand life to find new life
elsewhere. It is essential to know that NASA is not a private company. It belongs to the government
and is also financed by it.
NASA's current project is the Artemis Program. This is a space project in collaboration with
international partners, including SpaceX. The goal is to land astronauts on the Moon again after
decades. The Artemis mission is the first mission that brings a woman to the Moon. The plan is to
land on the Moon in 2024. From there, it is supposed to go on; to Mars and beyond. However,
after the US government lowered the budget, things became more unrealistic, just like SpaceX.
