Founder of SpaceX Elon Musk said that the company plans to send the Starship missile to Mars at the end of 2026 with Optimus-gumanoids on board. Musk mentioned that if these missions are successful, the landing of people on the Red Planet may take place already in 2029, although he considers 2031 a more likely date.
The Starship, known as the largest and most powerful rocket in the world, is a crucial element in Musk’s plans for Mars colonization. Standing at 123 meters in height, it is designed for full reuse. NASA is also considering a modified version of Starship as a lunar landing module for their Artemis missions.
During the last Starship test launch, there was an explosion, despite the successful separation of the rocket’s booster. Video footage from the test showed the upper stage of the rocket entering uncontrolled rotation before losing communication. This incident occurred during the eighth unmanned orbital launch.
Following the recent test failure, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has requested an investigation from SpaceX before their next flight. Despite this setback, SpaceX’s approach of “quickly making mistakes, quickly learning” has positioned the company as a leading player in the space launch sector.
Aside from the technological challenges, Elon Musk continues to be a significant figure in the political sphere. He previously served as a close advisor to former President Donald Trump and had disagreements with the FAA over safety standards and environmental regulations during the current presidency of Joe Biden. Notably, Trump expressed ambitions to “hoist the star-striped flag on Mars” during his inauguration speech in January.