SpaceX's Ambitious Plan: Five Uncrewed Starships to Mars in Two Years, Elon Musk Reveals
SpaceX plans to launch five uncrewed Starship missions to Mars within two years, according to Elon Musk. The timeline for the first crewed mission depends on the success of the uncrewed flights. A recent successful test mission saw a Starship rocket complete a fiery re-entry and landing demonstration in the Indian Ocean.
Just a few weeks ago, Musk had hinted that the initial Starship voyages to Mars would commence in two years, coinciding with the next Earth-Mars transfer window.
Musk emphasised that the timeline for the first crewed mission hinges on the success of the uncrewed flights. If the uncrewed missions achieve safe landings, crewed missions could be on the horizon in four years. However, any setbacks could potentially push back crewed missions by an additional two years, Musk explained.
Renowned for his fluctuating timelines regarding Starship's progress, Musk had previously mentioned that the first uncrewed Starship touchdown on Mars could occur within five years, with human landings on the red planet within seven years.
In a significant milestone this June, a Starship rocket executed a fiery, hypersonic re-entry from space and accomplished a groundbreaking landing demonstration in the Indian Ocean, culminating in a successful test mission worldwide on the rocket's fourth attempt.
Musk's vision for Starship is pivotal in realising his objective of developing a versatile, next-generation spacecraft capable of transporting both individuals and cargo to the moon by the end of this decade, with the ultimate goal of voyaging to Mars.
NASA recently postponed its Artemis 3 mission and the first crewed moon landing in fifty years utilising SpaceX's Starship, rescheduling it to September 2026 from the initial late 2025 timeline, citing delays.
Moreover, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa decided to cancel a private mission around the moon that he had funded, which was set to employ SpaceX's Starship.
SpaceX plans to launch five uncrewed Starship missions to Mars within two years, according to Elon Musk.
The timeline for the first crewed mission depends on the success of the uncrewed flights.
A recent successful test mission saw a Starship rocket complete a fiery re-entry and landing demonstration in the Indian Ocean.
Credit: REUTERS