Musk Announces Starship’s Mars departure for late 2026

Elon Musk has announced that SpaceX’s Starship is set to embark on its first mission to Mars at the end of 2026. The initial voyage will carry the Optimus robots, with human landings potentially beginning in 2029—though 2031 appears more realistic, according to Musk’s post on his social media platform, X.

Musk, who also leads Tesla, previously introduced the Optimus robots, which he envisions performing routine tasks and even offering companionship. These humanoid robots are expected to be priced between $20,000 and $30,000.

Starship, recognized as the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, is central to Musk’s ambition of establishing a human presence on Mars. The towering spacecraft stands 403 feet (123 meters) tall—making it nearly 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty—and is designed to be fully reusable in the future.

NASA also has a vested interest in Starship, as a modified version is planned to serve as a lunar lander for the Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon within this decade. However, before SpaceX can undertake such missions, it must ensure Starship’s reliability, safety for human crews, and its ability to refuel in orbit—a crucial capability for deep-space travel.

Setback in Testing

SpaceX encountered a significant setback this month when its latest Starship test flight ended in an explosion. Despite the booster being successfully recovered during the orbital test, the upper stage lost control and was destroyed. The incident was reminiscent of a previous test flight, with dramatic footage showing debris falling over the Bahamas.

This marks the eighth uncrewed test flight of Starship. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated a full investigation before SpaceX can resume testing.

Despite such failures, SpaceX's philosophy of "fail fast, learn fast" has propelled it to the forefront of the global space launch industry. However, Musk’s close ties with former President Donald Trump, as well as his influence over regulatory agencies, have sparked concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

During Joe Biden’s presidency, Musk frequently criticized the FAA, accusing it of excessive regulation that hindered SpaceX’s progress. Meanwhile, Trump, in his inaugural speech in January, reaffirmed his commitment to sending Americans to Mars, pledging to "plant the Stars and Stripes on the Red Planet."