SpaceX intends to launch approximately five uncrewed Starship missions to Mars over the next two years, CEO Elon Musk announced on social media platform X on Sunday.
Earlier this month, Musk stated that the initial Starship missions to Mars would begin in two years, coinciding with the next Earth-Mars transfer window. On Sunday, he added that the timeline for the first crewed mission would be contingent upon the success of these uncrewed flights. If the uncrewed missions land safely, the crewed missions will follow in four years. However, if there are any setbacks, the crewed missions will be postponed by an additional two years.
Musk, who is known for frequently revising Starship’s development timelines, had previously indicated that the first uncrewed Starship would land on Mars within five years, with human landings expected within seven years.
In June, a Starship rocket successfully completed a test mission around the globe, surviving a fiery hypersonic return from space and landing in the Indian Ocean. This was a significant achievement, as it was the fourth attempt at a full test mission.
Musk is relying on Starship to achieve his vision of developing a versatile next-generation spacecraft capable of transporting people and cargo to the moon later this decade, and eventually reaching Mars.
Earlier this year, NASA postponed its Artemis 3 mission, which will use SpaceX’s Starship for the first crewed moon landing in over 50 years, to September 2026. The mission was initially scheduled for late 2025, according to NASA.
Additionally, in June, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa canceled a private mission around the moon, which was to be carried out using SpaceX’s Starship, citing uncertainties in the rocket’s development schedule.
