Tackling a Mars Cycler Design Head-on

We approach the design of a conceptual Mars cycler that could accommodate major numbers of emigrant settlers to a Mars colony, regardless of how extreme or out-of-reach some of the required technologies might seem. It is commonly assumed that in the distant future, a significant planetary migration program might eventually take place for the establishment of a multi-planet species. Whereas some critics have questioned whether priorities for planetary colonization might be misplaced, others point out that there may only be a short window for humanity to become a space-faring civilization. Recently, Elon Musk of SpaceX has advocated for an accelerated settlement of Mars with a population of one million by the year 2050, using 1,000 Starships sent at each Earth-Mars launch opportunity. Setting aside discussions regarding the timing and appropriateness of such an ambitious endeavor, even though the numbers seem daunting there are engineering solutions that could make it work. While SpaceX has designed reusable transportation systems that could conceivably carry out the task, the sheer scale of launching, refueling, and carrying 100 persons per vessel across vast distances and durations will require significant logistical and technical considerations. We analyze the Musk targets, and realistically consider the problem from a human habitation perspective to ask what it would take to accommodate such large numbers in a transit scenario.