Musk plans Starship launch to Mars next year
Photo: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk (Getty Images)
Elon Musk on X announced that the Starship rocket will head to Mars at the end of next year. If the mission is successful, the first human landings could take place within a few years.
Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, announced that the Starship rocket will head to Mars at the end of 2026.
On board will be the Optimus robot, marking the first step toward a human landing on the Red Planet.
"If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely," Musk stated.
He added that future Mars missions and successful robotic landings will be crucial steps in preparing for human exploration.
Starship
Starship is a reusable rocket and spacecraft developed by SpaceX for a range of missions, from delivering cargo to Earth’s orbit to interplanetary travel. Its development is a key part of Elon Musk’s vision for Mars exploration and the colonization of other planets in the solar system.
The primary goal of Starship is to create a fully reusable vehicle capable of carrying both people and cargo into space, particularly to Mars. This reusability aims to drastically cut the cost of space travel. Designed for long-distance missions, Starship can carry up to 100 passengers, making it ideal for human landings on Mars.
One of Starship’s standout features is its ability to take off and land vertically — a technology similar to that used in SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets. The spacecraft stands an impressive 50 meters tall and 9 meters in diameter, allowing it to transport large payloads to Earth’s orbit and beyond on interplanetary journeys.
