Elon Musk Hopes to Enable Human Reproduction on Mars With 3D Printing

No, this is not the plot of the latest sci-fi film. Elon Musk, the famous U.S. tycoon, now known for his recent entry into U.S. politics, unveiled on March 31, along with four other companies, including bioink manufacturer Bio Poisson Ravil, a 25-year program to finalize humanity’s arrival on Planet Mars. The ambitious program, is named Elon MARS.

Among the 12 points contained in the program unveiled today at the SpaceX Starbase, which includes such aspects as athletic training for future colonists and building living and agricultural infrastructure in space, you can also find the use of 3D printing to create artificial wombs, designed to support the growth of embryos even in microgravity conditions. The news was confirmed on X by Elon Musk himself and reported by Bio Poisson Ravil.

Elon Musk has been convinced of the benefits of additive manufacturing for several years now.

Who Is Involved?

As previously mentioned, the Elon MARS program has outlined the steps needed to ensure human survival and permanent occupation in space. Five companies have joined the project, each with a specific role in the colonization of Mars: SpaceX will be in charge of building the spacecraft, Neuralink will develop brain-computer interfaces for advanced monitoring, Matui Kinisesi, a Japanese company specializing in neonatal incubators, will create the tools that will guard the artificial wombs, and Gestation Rights will take care of the legal and bioethical aspects of the project. Finally, Bio Poisson Ravil will provide the biomaterials and bioprinters useful for creating the artificial wombs. Elon Musk stated in X, “Within 20 years, one million people will be on Mars.”