Former President Barack Obama has expressed skepticism about the potential of space colonization to save Earth, slamming Tesla Inc. CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos.
What Happened: Obama voiced his concerns about the space colonization plans at the 2024 POwR.Earth Summit in Paris, reported Business Insider.
He criticized the Silicon Valley elite for investing in projects aimed at relocating humans off-world, stating, “I would rather us invest in taking care of this planet here.”
Obama specifically questioned the rationale behind the plans to colonize Mars, suggesting that it was a response to the potential degradation of Earth’s environment.
"When I hear some of the people talk about the plan to colonize Mars because the Earth environment may become so degraded that it becomes unliveable, I look at them like, what are you talking about?"
This viewpoint directly contrasts with Bezos’ belief that space exploration is essential for humanity’s continued growth and the preservation of Earth’s natural resources.
Bezos has invested billions in the company and is set to launch its New Glenn mega-rocket on its maiden voyage later this year.
“I would love to see a trillion humans living in the solar system. If we had a trillion humans, we would have, at any given time, 1,000 Mozarts and 1,000 Einsteins,” Bezos said earlier on the Lex Fridman Podcast.
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He envisions a future where humans can choose to live on Earth or in large space stations near Earth, with resources for expansion drawn from the asteroid belt and near-Earth objects.
Musk, too, has been vocal about his dream of colonizing Mars. He set an ambitious Starship production goal in order to colonize Mars in the next three decades, likely within his lifetime.
Why It Matters: Bezos’ vision for space colonization has been a long-standing one. He attributed his decision to step down as Amazon’s CEO to his interest in space and Blue Origin.
Bezos emphasized the need for urgency and energy in advancing space colonization, a vision that has since been furthered by Blue Origin’s lunar cargo lander plans.
Bezos’ space ambitions have also been a topic of discussion in his relationship with Musk, CEO of SpaceX. Despite their rivalry, Bezos has expressed a desire to build a friendship with Musk, emphasizing their shared vision for space exploration.
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