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SpaceX plans to send its first crewed mission to Mars in 2028, with uncrewed test flights starting in 2026.
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The company’s Starship megarocket will be used for the missions, with the goal of building a self-sustaining city on Mars in 20 years.
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SpaceX has conducted four successful test flights of Starship, with the fifth test flight upcoming.
SpaceX is pushing forward with its ambitious plan to send humans to Mars, with CEO Elon Musk announcing a new timeline for the mission. The company plans to send its first crewed mission to Mars in 2028, with uncrewed test flights starting in 2026. These initial missions will focus on testing the reliability of landing on the Red Planet.
The Starship megarocket is central to SpaceX’s plans, with its reusable design allowing for rapid turnaround and reuse. The company has already conducted four successful test flights of Starship, with the fifth test flight upcoming. Musk is confident that these early missions will pave the way for a dramatic increase in flight rates, ultimately leading to the establishment of a self-sustaining city on Mars.
Musk’s vision for Mars settlement is rooted in the belief that becoming a multiplanetary species is essential for the survival of human consciousness. With Starship, SpaceX is taking a significant step towards making this vision a reality.
The first Starships to Mars will launch in 2 years when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens.
These will be uncrewed to test the reliability of landing intact on Mars. If those landings go well, then the first crewed flights to Mars will be in 4 years.
Flight rate will… https://t.co/ZuiM00dpe9
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 7, 2024
