'It's time for Mars': SpaceX to land Starships on Red Planet in 2026
Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Mars Missions in 2026
SpaceX plans to begin launching its Starship rockets to Mars in 2026, according to CEO Elon Musk. These initial missions will be uncrewed to test the reliability of landing intact on the Martian surface.
Crewed Flights to Follow in 2030
If the uncrewed landings are successful, the first crewed missions to Mars are expected to take place in 2030, allowing for a critical period of evaluation and improvement in the spacecraft's performance and landing capabilities.
Mars-Earth Alignment
Musk pointed out that Earth and Mars align for interplanetary missions roughly every 26 months, which is why the timeline for these missions is tied to this cosmic schedule. The alignment allows for more efficient travel between the two planets.
Long-Term Goal of Mars Settlement
SpaceX aims to eventually build a self-sustaining city on Mars within 20 years, aiming for regular flights that will support the settlement and further exploration of the Red Planet. Musk believes that making humanity multiplanetary will help secure the survival of consciousness by diversifying its presence across different worlds.
Starship Rocket Details
The fully reusable Starship rocket system consists of a first-stage booster called Super Heavy and the 165-foot-tall upper-stage Starship. When stacked, it becomes the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built, standing 400 feet tall and producing 16.7 million pounds of thrust.
Test Flights to Date
SpaceX has conducted four test flights of the Starship system, with each mission showing improved performance. The most recent flight achieved all major objectives. The company is preparing for a fifth flight, which will test landing the Super Heavy booster on the launch mount using "chopstick" arms from the launch tower.
Reusability and Efficiency
Starship is designed for rapid reusability, enabling quick turnaround between missions. Unlike NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), which is expendable, Starship's reusability is key to making Mars settlement feasible by reducing costs and increasing flight frequency.