NEXT STOP: MARS!

The SpaceX founder is determined to get people to the Red Planet by 2024

- KIM ABRAHAMS

IN A world where Covid-19 has dominated headlines, sharing space with only the horrific US riots, it had to take an event that was out of this world to tear people away from the harsh realities of our lives.

In this case it was quite literally out of this world – and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Millions across the globe tuned in to watch the Falcon 9 rocket take off towards the International Space Station (ISS), some 406km from Earth’s surface, returning a bit of awe and wonder to the world.

It was the first time in nine years that US space agency Nasa had sent astronauts into orbit from US soil. Before then, any time Americans wanted to leave the planet, it had to be from a launchpad in Kazakhstan.

What made this launch from Florida even more special was that it wasn’t just the government agency sending two astronauts into space – they were basically hitching a 19-hour ride in a privately built cosmic taxi.

Thanks to eccentric billionaire Elon Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, the Crew Dragon Demo-2 flight arrived safely, 10 minutes ahead of its scheduled time. And so, it made history as the first private spacecraft to dock at the ISS.

Nasa astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will spend four months on the ISS along with an American and two Russians.

Elon (48) was overcome with emotion at the achievement. “It’s been 18 years working towards this goal, so it’s hard to believe it’s happened,” he said after the launch. “This is something I think humanity should be excited about and proud of occurring on this day.”

It’s certainly something he’s proud of – and it’s the start of his ambitious plan to get to Mars, insiders say.