But Musk’s ambitions extend far beyond Snailbrook: by 2050, he also aims to establish a self-sustaining Mars colony for one million people. SpaceX is committed to making life multi-planetary, and Musk wants to use the company’s Starship crafts to transport passengers and cargo to the Red Planet during favourable Earth-Mars alignments, which occur every 26 months.

Musk has admitted that life for early Mars residents would be “hard” and “dangerous” and even confessed that some citizens might die, though he hopes the allure of adventure will prompt brave explorers to take the risk. The first colonists would be tasked with establishing vital infrastructure such as life support systems and habitats. In the long term, Musk envisions a vibrant Martian city with many economic opportunities for settlers.

Six cities of the future today's billionaires want to build