Elon Mask has Idea on Flag
A company launch showing a Falcon 9 rocket soaring into the air against the Sun was suggested as a dramatic photo by the SpaceX CEO on Friday.
John Kraus posted a photograph to which Musk responded via Twitter to the photo which shows Falcon 9 sending up 60 satellites for the firm’s Starlink internet connectivity constellation.
SpaceX’s Mars city could be more than just an outpost for astronauts as the CEO looks to be more excited as per the highlights. Musk has plans to send humans to Mars as early as 2024 and has outlined plans to build the Starship rocket by which he aims to establish basic life support systems there before expanding out further.
Questions that may arise
As the new city will have challenges that how to consider emergent questions of identity, a unique economic system, and the radiation causing biological changes. A flag could act as a rallying point for a new community in this new city.
Kraus produced a tweaked version of the photo with Mars replacing the sun, which was in response to Musk’s suggestion:
Some Previous Flag Ideas
Considering a flag for a future Mars outpost by Kraus and Musk is not the first try. Previously in the novel Moving Mars by Greg bear in 1993 described that how the inhabitants of the Federal Republic of Mars eventually settle on a flag design for the new state. A Red Mars with two moons on a blue background, with half the flag in white, was chosen by the community.
The author said that the white portion signified “how much we had to grow”.
Merchandise for Project
In response to Musk and Kraus, another idea was suggested by Twitter user “RealPatrickDaly” which was a design used by Boeing on some of its mugs and merchandise. The rocket designed to send humans to Mars and other destinations was featured in the merchandise which is NASA’s Space Launch System Project.
As the community starts to identify itself as Martians, then a true flag can be emerged by, abandoning their older Earth-focused ideas. In April 2019, CEO of the Astrosociology Research Institute, Jim Pass told that as the tough conditions and economic changes are faced by people, it will push them to come together.
Issue of Type of Governance
Questions of governance is still an issue for future Martians. Although voiced support for direct democracy has been provided by Musk that would count for a small population resulting in a variety of factors that could lead to alternative political structures on Mars.
All these concerns will soon get a rise, which is earlier than expectations. An update is expected later this month as SpaceX is developing the Starship at its Boca Chica facility in Texas. By 2020, the company aims to send two cargo ships to Mars and do an orbital flight. The first humans could be sent to the planet as soon as 2024, as the Earth and Mars make a close approach to one another. And SpaceX aims to further plan more cities on Mars as stated by the principal Mars development engineer for the project.
Will Future Martians accept SpaceX in their flag? It can be possible that they would like to reduce reliance on planet Earth and Falcon 9 on the flag can be a part of history for them. Most likely Martian will aim for their own new identity.