Elon Musk has expressed optimism about the prospects of his Mars spacecraft, Starship, making its first uncrewed voyage to the red planet by the end of 2026. Despite recent setbacks, including a failed test flight, Musk believes there is a 50% chance of meeting the deadline. In a video posted online by SpaceX, Musk outlined a detailed development timeline for Starship, emphasizing the importance of overcoming technical challenges.
“It is where we are going to develop the technology necessary to take humanity and civilisation and life as we know it to another planet for the first time in the four and a half billion year history of Earth,” Musk said, referring to SpaceX’s Starbase industrial complex and rocket launch facility in Texas.
The first flight to Mars would carry a simulated crew consisting of Tesla-built humanoid Optimus robots, with human crews following in subsequent landings. Musk noted that if Starship is not ready by the 2026 deadline, SpaceX would wait another two years before attempting again. The billionaire’s Mars mission claim comes despite SpaceX experiencing several failed test launches over recent months.
Musk’s announcement follows his departure from the administration of United States President Donald Trump, citing the need to focus on his private ventures. SpaceX is also working with NASA to return humans to the Moon in 2027 onboard Starship, a stepping stone towards launching NASA astronauts to Mars in the 2030s.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is gearing up to send its Starship to Mars, with a predicted 50-50 chance of success by 2026. According to Musk, the Starship will travel to Mars carrying Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, which will lay the groundwork for future human expeditions. Optimus’s primary objectives will include setting up infrastructure, conducting research, and handling tasks for human astronauts.
If successful, this mission will mark a significant milestone in SpaceX’s goal to establish a human presence on Mars. Musk’s long-term vision is to have humans reach the Red Planet by 2031, with the ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary. The success of these uncrewed missions will pave the way for crewed flights and settlement efforts, bringing humanity one step closer to becoming a multiplanetary species.