CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, announced that the company will begin its Mars missions by the end of 2026, with manned missions to Mars set to be realized by no later than 2031.

SpaceX, renowned for its groundbreaking space exploration projects, is gearing up to bring to life its long-awaited missions to Mars.

The company’s founder and CEO, Elon Musk, revealed that the Starship rocket will embark on its journey to Mars by the end of 2026. This milestone mission not only represents a significant step for humanity but also highlights the potential role of artificial intelligence in space exploration. As part of the mission, Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, will also be sent to Mars. Starship plays a central role in SpaceX’s missions for space colonization. Designed as a fully reusable rocket, Starship aims to enable the transportation of both humans and heavy payloads over long distances. Musk emphasizes that this colossal vehicle will not only play a critical role in Mars missions but also in NASA’s Artemis program, where it will be utilized to land humans on the lunar surface. As part of the mission, Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, developed by Tesla, will be included. Optimus is envisioned to carry out various tasks in the Martian environment, including setting up settlement areas, conducting environmental analysis, and identifying potential hazards. Musk believes that through Optimus’ artificial intelligence-based technologies, efficient exploration of Mars’ surface for humanity can be achieved. Elon Musk has set a date for the first manned missions Elon Musk mentioned that if these missions are successfully accomplished, manned Mars missions could commence as early as 2029, but 2031 is a more realistic target. Musk’s vision is to transform Mars into a livable second planet for humanity, enabling human civilization to become a multi-planetary species. Is it Possible to Live on Mars? Discoveries of past active water flows on Mars’ surface, the existence of underground water reservoirs, a day cycle similar to Earth’s approximately 24.6-hour day, and the potential for developing the planet’s atmosphere structure with future technology fuel hopes that Mars could have more favorable conditions to support life in the future. These clues suggest that the planet may have natural conditions to sustain microbial life and could be transformed into habitable areas for human life in the long term with suitable interventions.