2017.09.2823:15:00UTC+00Musk to Unveil Developments on Giant Battery, Mars Mission

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is headed to Australia to defy the skeptics of his pledge six months ago that he can create the world's biggest battery.

Musk will arrive on South Australia on Friday to give an update regarding the progress on a giant battery which is perceived as a key factor in averting power shortages in the country at the 68th International Astronautical Congress. The Tesla boss has pledged to the have the battery packs ready to be used at a huge wind farm by December 1, the beginning of the southern hemisphere summer, to aid South Australia from suffering a state-wide blackout like in 2016.

This does not only put his reputation on the line, but he also promised to give the battery installation in the country's outback for free if it does not work within 100 days of a contract being inked. In March, Musk tweeted that the cost of the battery project would be a $250 a kilowatt-hour at the pack level. Analysts estimate the project may cost $94 million.

The CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is also anticipated during his trip to give out his pitch for an unmanned mission to Mars and launch a supercharger network to provide power for electric cars.

Earlier this week on Instagram, Musk posted a simulation of how SpaceX's planned “Interplanetary Spaceship” will operate and said he will introduce a new version later on Friday.