SpaceX founder Elon Musk announced on Friday that Starship is scheduled for a Mars mission at the end of next year, carrying Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus.
In a post on X, Musk indicated that human landings on Mars could begin as early as 2029, though 2031 seems more likely if the initial missions progress smoothly.
Musk had previously stated in an April 2023 investor call that Optimus would be operational in Tesla factories by the end of 2024, demonstrating its capabilities in automation.
A November report by Reuters suggested that under former U.S. President Donald Trump, transporting humans to Mars could become a greater national priority, potentially reshaping NASA’s lunar program and benefiting SpaceX.
Starship plays a pivotal role in SpaceX’s satellite launch business, where it already dominates with the partially reusable Falcon 9. The fully reusable spacecraft is also central to Musk’s vision of colonizing Mars.