Musk Announces SpaceX’s Plan to Send 5 Uncrewed Starships to Mars within 2 Years
SpaceX is planning to launch approximately five uncrewed Starship missions to Mars within the next two years, according to CEO Elon Musk’s announcement on the social media platform X.
Just recently, Musk had indicated that the first Starships bound for Mars would lift off in two years, coinciding with the next Earth-Mars transfer window.
Musk stated on Sunday that the timeline for the first crewed mission is contingent on the success of the uncrewed flights. If the initial missions are successful, crewed missions are slated for launch in four years. However, if obstacles arise, crewed missions could be delayed by an additional two years, Musk explained.
Known for his fluctuating timelines on Starship’s progress, Musk previously mentioned that the first uncrewed Starship landing on Mars would occur within five years, with the first manned mission to Mars anticipated in seven years.
In June, a Starship rocket managed a fiery, hypersonic reentry from space and executed a groundbreaking landing demonstration in the Indian Ocean after a full test mission around the globe on the rocket’s fourth attempt.
Musk is banking on Starship to achieve his objective of creating a versatile, next-generation spacecraft able to transport people and cargo to the moon later in this decade, and eventually to Mars.
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NASA recently postponed the Artemis 3 mission and its first crewed moon landing in 50 years utilizing SpaceX’s Starship, now rescheduled for September 2026 after an initial target of late 2025.
In June, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa canceled his private moon mission, which was set to utilize SpaceX’s Starship, citing uncertainties in the rocket’s developmental timeline.
