SpaceX aims to launch five uncrewed Starship missions to Mars in two years, CEO Elon Musk announced on X Sunday. Musk previously indicated that the first launches would occur when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens in two years. He noted that the timeline for crewed missions will depend on the success of these uncrewed flights, with potential crewed launches in four years if the uncrewed missions are successful.
Otherwise, delays could push them back an additional two years. Earlier this year, Musk projected that the first uncrewed Starship would land on Mars in five years, with the first crewed landing within seven years. In June, a Starship successfully completed a full test mission, landing in the Indian Ocean after a hypersonic return from space.
Musk envisions the Starship as a versatile spacecraft for lunar and Martian missions. NASA has postponed the Artemis 3 mission, which relies on SpaceX’s Starship, to September 2026, moving it from its original late 2025 schedule. Additionally, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa canceled his private lunar mission using the Starship due to uncertainties in the rocket's development timeline.
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