In a tweet, Elon Musk said that Tesla's pressurized edition of the Cybertruck will be the official truck of Mars. The Cybertruck has already been designed to be extremely strong, meaning that it's not a giant leap for Tesla to create a pressurized edition for Mars. Elon Musk and SpaceX are fans of using commercial, readily available components when building their space tech, instead of buying and building highly specialized parts that are expensive and take a long time to develop. In this article, we take a look at the development of the Cybertruck, from the design features for Earth and Mars to the links it has for future Mars missions. Such as the close proximity of the Cybertruck factory to SpaceX's launch site in Texas and how a Model X has already been used to transport astronauts to the launch pad, whose spacesuits plugged into the car. And at the end of this video, we'll take a further look into the future and see what the future holds for the Cybertruck when it comes to building on Mars.
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What does it mean to have a Pressurized version of the Cybertruck?
The Martian atmosphere is less than one percent as dense as Earth's atmosphere, so any Mars vehicles will have to have their own human-breathable air at normal Earth-like air pressures. This would mean that the air inside the Cybertruck is at about 100 times higher pressure than the air on the outside on Mars. This higher pressure inside would mean that the force is pushing outwards from the inside, like blowing up a balloon, so the vehicle needs to be strong enough to withstand this pressure. The stainless steel that is being used to build the Cybertruck will be similar to the stainless steel being used to build the SpaceX Starship. Usually, when forming a car, the metal is stamped into shape. Elon Musk says that the cold-rolled steel being used for the Cybertruck is so strong that it would break a stamping press. Instead, the steel will be laser-cut and bent into place. In the end, the skin of the Cybertruck will be three millimeters thick. The Cybertruck will also need to be completely sealed and airtight so that air will not leak out on Mars. This would mean that the windows would be in a fixed closed position with a seal around them. The doors would have to have an airtight seal, and the truck's ventilation system will not be able to feed in air from the outside. For passengers, there would need to be a system to manage the air, including a method to remove the CO2 and add more oxygen. An alternative solution would be to have the astronauts wear their spacesuits while they're in the Tesla Mars Cybertruck, which is something that SpaceX and Tesla have already done..png "cybertruck on mars")
When transporting the American astronauts in 2020 to the SpaceX launch pad, a Tesla Model X was used. The astronaut suits had an umbilical cord that plugged into the car, providing cooling to the humans. But, as with all Tesla cars, the Cybertruck will have the full suite of sensors needed for self-driving, including cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors. This means that astronauts would not be needed to drive the Cybertruck around on Mars, transporting materials and equipment.
Let's take a look at the Cyber Truck Design Features
The Cybertruck design features that will help people here on Earth and later on Mars. Elon Musk has said that the Cybertruck is inspired by the Warthog from the game Halo. It's a fast and light tactical ground vehicle used by the fictional United Nations Space Command Armed Forces. It can also turn carbon matter into fuel and filter water, or turn it into fuel too. Coming back to the real-life Cybertruck, it is being built to be a utility vehicle for everyday people here on Earth. Tesla describes the Cybertruck as having better utility than a truck, with more performance than a sports car. The truck bed has been designed to be as useful as possible for people who will use the pickup truck on building sites and remote locations where tools are used. It has a 240-volt supply, which could mean that builders no longer need to take a generator to a building site, as non-electric trucks do not have the big batteries like the Cybertruck, so they cannot compete. Also, the Cybertruck's air suspension system will be connected to a hose in the back bed, meaning that the compressed air can also be used to power air compression tools, such as nailers, drills, or spray painters..png "cybertruck on mars")
When it comes to driving around, the Cybertruck will have an active suspension height and damping control system. This is to ensure that the truck can adapt to road conditions and the load in the truck bed, allowing it to raise, lower, or dampen impact for each wheel individually. For a pickup truck that may be carrying heavy items while going off-road on Earth and Mars, this would significantly enhance its off-road performance. Additionally, the Cybertruck offers the add-on feature of solar panels, which Elon Musk has tweeted about. He mentioned that solar panels could provide an additional 15 miles of range per day, while a fold-out solar wing could add up to 30 to 40 miles of range per day. Elon also tweeted that the average distance people drive in a day in the United States is 30 miles. On Mars, solar panels are not as efficient and cannot generate the same amount of energy as they do on Earth. However, astronauts would only require a few miles of power per day to transport equipment and materials around a Mars base.
The Main Difference Between Tesla's Cyber Truck and Normal Trucks
The exoskeleton design of trucks usually has a body-on-frame architecture, meaning that the engine pushes the internal metal frame, and the body of the truck is a thin skin. However, the Cybertruck exoskeleton takes a different approach. It does not have an internal frame; instead, the outer skin is so strong that it acts as the frame, and the motors push the skin directly. The skin is made out of cold-rolled stainless steel, which is significantly stronger than normal steel. The strong skin is paired with Tesla's armor glass. The exterior shell has no paint, which reduces the cost of manufacturing. Estimates say that it could save 180 million dollars when setting up the manufacturing line. This makes it easier, faster, and cheaper to build. Hopefully, more of them will be on the streets, allowing Tesla to develop more futuristic tech for the Cybertruck..png "cybertruck on mars")
Elon Musk tweeted in November 2019, just two days after the Cybertruck was announced, that 146,000 had been pre-ordered, with 42 being dual motor, 41 triple motor, and 17 single motor. The single motor version is rear-wheel drive, while the dual motor and triple motor versions are all-wheel drive. As you add more motors, the off-road performance, acceleration, range, and price all improve. The range of the Cybertruck can go up to 500 miles or 800 kilometers, depending on the model. The top model can achieve zero to 60 in 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 130 miles per hour or 210 kilometers per hour. The top-range tri-motor can carry a payload of 3,500 pounds or 1,600 kilograms and has a towing capacity of 14,000 pounds or 1,350 kilograms. It costs $69,900, while the base model costs $39,900.
The building of the Earth version of the Cybertruck will take place at Giga Texas, which is a new factory that Tesla is constructing. The factory will also produce the Tesla Semi, Model 3 and Y, and batteries. The Giga Texas factory is located just north of SpaceX's South Texas launch site, also known as the Boca Chica launch site. It is where one of the Starship prototypes is being built, which could potentially transport humans to Mars in the future. Moving forward, the first Cybertrucks are expected to start shipping by the end of 2021, with production ramping up in 2022. This aligns with Elon Musk's goal to begin sending Starships to Mars in 2022, delivering life support equipment, followed by a human mission in 2024. Due to the alignment of Mars and Earth occurring every two years, there has been significant demand for the Cybertruck here on Earth. Elon Musk mentioned that it is difficult to determine the exact number of pre-orders since they stopped counting, but he stated that it is well over half a million pre-orders. In comparison, the Tesla Model 3, announced in 2016, received 325,000 reservations within a week of the announcement. However, the reservation price for the Model 3 was $1,000, while the Cybertruck's reservation price is $100. This implies that there are over $50 million in pre-order revenues for the Cybertruck. Elon Musk also mentioned that if the Cybertruck does not sell well, Tesla may revert to a more traditional pickup design.
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Could there be a day when SpaceX is sending multiple Cybertrucks to Mars in a Starship to aid in the construction of a human settlement? Will these Cybertrucks be responsible for transporting materials around the Mars base and be equipped with self-driving capabilities? Meanwhile, the human astronauts, clad in their spacesuits, would utilize the Cyberquads to navigate the Martian terrain. The Cyberquads are an optional add-on for Cybertruck buyers here on Earth. These two-person ATVs have the ability to charge in the bed of the futuristic Cybertruck.