SpaceX is about to reveal the first person who will be sent on a trip around the Moon on the forthcoming BFR.
Ahead of the anticipated announcement, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted two new renders of the spacecraft that is currently in development.
One Big Rocket To The Moon
Last year, Musk announced that SpaceX is building the Big Falcon Rocket or the BFR. The Moon-bound spacecraft will consist of two parts: a 191-foot rocket booster and a 157-foot spaceship.
Together, the BFR would be 35 stories tall. If fully fueled, it can weigh up to 9 million pounds.
The booster will be powered by 31 Raptor engines while the ship itself will have 7 Raptor engines arranged like a honeycomb. Inside, there will be 40 cabins that can accommodate up to 100 people.
On top of all that, SpaceX said that the BFR will be 100 percent reusable, making the trip "economically feasible."
pic.twitter.com/d1KEp44zjm — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 17, 2018
In a tweet, Musk also confirmed that the rocket will have a forward-moving wing near the nose of the ship that retracts when required.
pic.twitter.com/dUpiavvM1Z — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 17, 2018
SpaceX also tweeted a render of the BFR on a trip around the Moon last Thursday, Sept. 13.
SpaceX has signed the world's first private passenger to fly around the Moon aboard our BFR launch vehicle-an important step toward enabling access for everyday people who dream of traveling to space. Find out who's flying and why on Monday, September 17. pic.twitter.com/64z4rygYhk — SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 14, 2018
The space company has already started serious development of the BFR. In December, a white tent appeared at the Port of Los Angeles where the company confirmed that it is currently building the interplanetary spacecraft.
Beyond The Moon
The BFR is the beginning of SpaceX's primary goal of colonizing Mars. While the timeline might change any time, Musk revealed in 2016 that he hopes to send a crewless mission to the red planet by 2022 and follow it with the first manned flight aboard the BFR by 2024.
Musk said that the BFR will eventually replace all rockets and spaceships that SpaceX uses today.
The company hopes to start doing short flight tests by next year. Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX chief operating officer, said that the BFR will be orbital by as early as 2020.
