Overview

• Elon Musk announced plans for SpaceX's Starship to depart for Mars in late 2026, carrying Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus as a precursor to human missions.
• Human landings on Mars could begin as early as 2029, though Musk indicated 2031 is a more likely timeline depending on the success of initial missions.
• The Starship rocket, standing 123 meters tall, is the world's largest and most powerful rocket and is central to Musk's vision of colonizing Mars.
• SpaceX's recent Starship test flights have faced setbacks, including a March 2025 explosion during an uncrewed orbital test, prompting FAA investigations and required approvals for further tests.
• NASA plans to use a modified version of Starship for its Artemis program, aiming to return astronauts to the Moon later this decade.