In the 2017 film “Space Between Us,” astronaut Gardner Elliot navigates life on Mars on a large space station equipped with living quarters and sustainable farms. Although the film was a fictional depiction, a colony on Mars may truly be a travel destination by 2028. Private aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company, SpaceX, outlines its elaborate plan to transform the red planet into earth’s next home with the construction of its first orbital starship announced by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

Nicknamed “The Big Falcon,” the starship will have the capacity to carry necessary supplies such as satellites, power generators, mining equipment, and eventually humans to the neighboring planet. Upon completion of construction, “The Big Falcon” will spread its wings in a test flight by 2020. 2024 will be a crucial year for the Mars plan as it plans to launch the first manned mission to the red planet.

According to the project, astronauts would begin laying the foundations for its expandable base, building production facilities, and suitable living conditions ready to receive future inhabitants. If successful, Elon Musk envisions a colony taking shape by 2025, where greenhouses, transportation, houses, and entertainment facilities could turn a small space station into a thriving city. SpaceX’s intergalactic plan may sound absurd to some, but the company strongly believes that the Mars plan not only opens the door to galactic travel but it also prepares a backup plan in case the earth becomes inhabitable in the future.