Elon Musk's Inspiration for His Love of Space: Increasing the Scope, Scale of Human Civilization Beyond Earth

Elon Musk, Tesla boss and SpaceX founder, has invested a lot in the past decade in space exploration and missions beyond Earth, such as landing on the Moon and Mars. Musk has even teamed up with NASA to further their goal of space exploration.

But what does inspire him to focus so much attention on space? Musk answers this question in an interview during the two-day event called Italian Techweek. The SpaceX founder talked about SpaceX and what inspires his love for space.

Elon Musk Awarded With Axel Springer Award In Berlin

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BERLIN, GERMANY DECEMBER 01: SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses on the red carpet of the Axel Springer Award 2020 on December 01, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Hannibal Hanschke-Pool/Getty Images)

Elon Musk Talks About What Inspires his Love for Space

During the interview, Elon Musk was asked what inspires him, particularly his love for space as he continues his goal in space exploration. According to News 18, Musk answer that his source of inspiration for space exploration is somewhat philosophical.

"The thing we should be aiming for is to increase the scope and scale of human civilization so as to best ask the right questions for the answer which is reality or the universe. We should work to ensure the survival and long-term prosperity of humanity," the news outlet quoted Musk.

Musk further said that humanity should seek to extend human consciousness ad presence beyond Earth and the Solar System to other planets and other star systems. He said that this is the nature of his philosophy.

His answer to what inspires him was commended by many, especially space enthusiasts who were left in awe after hearing the billionaire's source of inspiration. Some commented that Elon Musk is one of the "doers" while others only talk.

On September 16, Musk's SpaceX launched the Inspiration4, the world's first-ever all-civilian crew that reaches space. The team safely landed back on Earth on September 18 after completing 15 orbits around the plane, showing the stunning view of Earth from the spacecraft's cupola.

ALSO READ: Elon Musk Really Thinks That SpaceX Can Send Humans to the Moon 'Sooner' Than 2024

Elon Musk's Goal of Making Humans a Multi-Planetary Species

During the 2016 International Astronautical Congress in Mexico, Elon Musk said in an interview that it will be possible to send thousands of people from Earth towards Mars in the future, the National Geographic reported. He clarified that this does not mean transferring every human to the Red Planet, but it is about making the human race a multi-planetary species.

"The future of humanity is fundamentally going to bifurcate along with one of two directions: Either we're going to become a multiplanet species and a spacefaring civilization, or we're going be stuck on one planet until some eventual extinction event," Musk said in an interview with National Geographic.

He estimated that humans might begin traveling from Earth to Mars by the mid-2020s via a massive rocket that they call Interplanetary Transport System, which was formerly known as the Mars Colonial Transporter (MCT), according to Spaceflight 101. The rocket consists of a reusable Booster and a Tanker craft for in-orbit refueling.

NASA's former chief technologist Bobby Braun said that Musk's technical outline for his plan is about right. He also commended Musk for not pretending that the mission is going to be easy and achievable in just ten years. Nevertheless, anything could happen in the future as anything is possible in a hundred years.