SpaceX is set to launch its first uncrewed Starships to Mars in just two years, coinciding with the next Earth-Mars transfer window, announced CEO Elon Musk on Saturday.
Musk confirmed that these initial missions will test the reliability of landing intact on the Martian surface. If successful, SpaceX plans to follow up with crewed flights to Mars in four years, marking a significant step toward interplanetary exploration.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Musk wrote, "The first Starships to Mars will launch in two years during the next Earth-Mars transfer window. These missions will be uncrewed to test the reliability of landing on Mars. If those landings go well, the first crewed flights to Mars will take place in four years. The flight rate will increase exponentially from there, with the ultimate goal of building a self-sustaining city on Mars in about 20 years."
Musk also emphasized the long-term vision of making humanity a multiplanetary species, stating, "Becoming multiplanetary will greatly increase the probable lifespan of consciousness, as we will no longer have all our eggs, both literally and metabolically, on one planet."
In another post, Musk highlighted SpaceX’s pioneering advancements in reusable rocket technology. He noted that reducing the cost of transporting payloads to Mars is critical for building a self-sustaining city. "Currently, it costs about a billion dollars per ton of useful payload to Mars. We need to bring that down to $100,000 per ton, which requires making the technology 10,000 times better. It's extremely difficult, but not impossible," Musk added.
In June, SpaceX achieved key milestones with its fourth test flight of Starship, the world’s most powerful launch vehicle, showcasing the reusability of the spacecraft. The vehicle successfully launched from SpaceX’s private Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
During the flight, 32 of the rocket’s 33 engines ignited, and the Super Heavy booster performed a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
Meanwhile, the Starship capsule reached orbital insertion, reentered Earth’s atmosphere, and achieved its expected splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
The mission also utilized SpaceX’s Starlink satellites to livestream coverage, allowing viewers to witness the Starship’s reentry and landing burn.
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