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SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has announced that the company’s powerful Starship rocket is on track to launch toward Mars by the end of 2026. The mission will also carry Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as part of its groundbreaking journey.
In a post on X, Musk stated, “Starship departs for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus. If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely.” His vision for interplanetary travel remains ambitious as SpaceX recently celebrated its 23rd anniversary since its founding in 2002.
Despite Musk’s optimism, Starship’s recent test flights haven’t gone smoothly. The last eight test launches have ended in failure, with the latest on March 7, when the spacecraft exploded minutes after launch and scattered debris in space.
Following the explosion, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took action, temporarily halting flights at major Florida airports, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Orlando. The agency has also launched an official investigation into the failure.
The recent test flight was designed to complete a full orbit around Earth before re-entering over the Indian Ocean for a splashdown. This was meant to simulate the landing process for Mars missions. However, SpaceX must now secure FAA approval before another attempt can be made.
For Starship to be deemed ready for crewed missions, it must pass several key tests, including in-orbit refueling, a critical step for long-duration deep-space travel. Without these approvals, Musk’s goal of sending humans to Mars by 2031 could face further delays.
According to a Reuters report from November, under former U.S. President Donald Trump, sending humans to Mars could become a higher national priority. This could lead to major shifts in NASA’s Moon program and provide SpaceX with a significant boost.
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