[microtherion]

> This project appears to be on the critical path to making humanity a multi planetary species.

Inasmuch as "multi planetary" means multiple _self supporting_ planetary settlements (and otherwise, what's the point?), that seems to be an entirely unrealistic goal for the foreseeable future, so, by definition, there cannot really be a "critical path" to such a goal.

[nickik]

No other system currently built will get human to Mars even non-self supporting.

[microtherion]

That may be so, but that's a different claim. If he had a plausible path to build a backstop against catastrophes threatening to wipe out humanity, a case could be made that this should outweigh everyday regulations & petty bureaucratic paperwork.

What he has is a plausible path to shipping canned apes for a brief sojourn to a far away locale fairly hostile to long term habitation. If that's what he wants, fine, but there's no reason the regular legal process needs to be waived for that.

[hirundo]

> a plausible path to shipping canned apes for a brief sojourn

The important part of that end is a much more economical tech for putting mass into orbit. I'd argue that is currently the single most effective thing that we can do toward becoming multiplanetary. Yes it still leaves a very long road ahead, but it's a bridge across an otherwise impassible chasm. A related Heinlein/Pournelle exchange:

  Unfortunately, in Blowups Happen a capability for orbiting large payloads had been developed. "Aha," I said. "I see your problem. If you can get a ship into orbit, you're halfway to the moon."
  "No," Bob said. "If you can get your ship into orbit, you're halfway to anywhere."
  He was very nearly right.

https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/35015/where-did-he...

[R0b0t1]

Nothing is self supporting on long enough timescales.