'Difficult, dangerous, good chance you will die': Elon Musk claims Mars spaceships will be ready by NEXT YEAR in surprise SXSW Q&A

Spaceships headed for Mars could be ready as soon as the first half of next year, the man behind their creation, Elon Musk, has announced.

The Tesla and SpaceX founder, 46, sat down for a surprise question and answer session at the South by Southwest technology and culture festival in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, and updated the excited audience on his quest to get humans to the Red Planet.

'We are building the first Mars, or interplanetary ship, and I think well be able to do short trips, short up and down flights, by first half of next year,' Musk told Westworld co-creator Jonathan Nolan, who was moderating the talk.

However, he admitted this deadline may be a little optimistic, adding: 'Although sometimes, my timelines are a little, you know...'

Musk announced last year that his private company SpaceX is working to send a cargo mission to Mars by 2022. He hopes this venture helps jumpstart human colonization of the planet.

He said he believes once the hard part is over - building the spaceship - other companies and countries will jump at the opportunity of doing it themselves.

'I think once we build it we'll have a point of proof something that other companies and countries can go and do. They certainly don't think it's possible, but if we do they'll up their game.' 

And although getting to Mars sounds expensive, the billionaire inventor said a flight in the BFR rocket will actually cost less than the initial Falcon 1 flights, which were around $5 to $6million, according to Musk.

Still, Musk admitted the first humans to dare make the trip will be risking a lot. 

'It will be far more dangerous - difficult, dangerous, good chance you will die,' he conceded.

Once Musk figures out how to get to Mars, the real work will begin, as humans will have to build everything they need to survive in the planet. 

'I think mars should have really have great bars... Mars bars,' Musk joked. 

As to what inspired him to begin looking into Mars exploration, Musk said it was the simple fact that no one else seemed to be doing it.

'Where are the space hotels that were promised in 2001 the movie?' he asked. 'It just wasn't happening, year after year. It was getting me down.' 

But doing things no one has done before is not his only incentive, he also mentioned some unlikely sources of inspiration: Fred Astaire and Kanye West.