SpaceX founder Elon Musk announced on Friday that Starship is scheduled to depart for Mars by the end of next year, carrying Tesla’s humanoid bot, Optimus.
In a post on X, Musk hinted that human landings on Mars could begin as soon as 2029, though 2031 seems more likely if initial landings proceed successfully.
During an investor call in April of last year, Musk stated that he anticipated Optimus would be capable of performing tasks within the factory by the end of 2024.
In November, Reuters reported that Musk’s vision of sending humans to Mars was poised to become a more significant national priority under U.S. President Donald Trump, signaling major shifts for NASA’s moon program and a boost for SpaceX.
Starship plays a key role in SpaceX’s future satellite launch business, where it is poised to complement the Falcon 9, which currently dominates the market with its partially reusable design. It also aligns with Musk’s long-term goal of colonizing Mars.