SpaceX’s Starship is set to depart for Mars at the end of next year, Elon Musk informed on social media platform X. The mission would also carry Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus.
The tech mogul also informed that in case the initial landings go smoothly, human missions could begin as early as 2029 or 2031.
Musk made this announcement while reacting to another video commemorating 23 years of SpaceX.
Musk has long stressed on the need of colonising the red planet, calling it essential for the long-term survival of humanity. He argued that establishing a self-sustaining human settlement on Mars would help safeguard civilization from existential threats on Earth, such as nuclear war or climate disasters.
Musk’s space agency SpaceX is actively developing the technology required for such an task, including advanced spacecraft and infrastructure to support human life on Mars.
However, earlier in March, US President Donald Trump made it clear that sending humans to Mars is not a number one priority for him.
While he acknowledged the widespread interest in interplanetary travel, he suggested it was not necessarily a high priority for the US government.