SpaceX, the space tech company owned by Elon Musk, is gearing up for a groundbreaking milestone in space exploration. According to Musk, SpaceX plans to launch its first Starships to Mars during the Earth-Mars transfer window that opens in 2026.
The Earth-Mars transfer window occurs approximately every 26 months when Earth and Mars are optimally aligned for travel between the two planets. Launching during this window minimises fuel usage and travel time, making it the ideal period for Mars missions.
Musk’s vision is to send uncrewed Starships to Mars during the 2026 transfer window to test the spacecraft’s landing capabilities. These initial missions will focus on ensuring that the Starships can land safely and intact on Mars. If these tests are successful, SpaceX aims to send the first crewed missions to Mars in four years.
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“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,” Musk wrote in an X post.
“Flight rate will grow exponentially from there, with the goal of building a self-sustaining city in about 20 years. Being multiplanetary will vastly increase the probable lifespan of consciousness, as we will no longer have all our eggs, literally and metabolically, on one planet,” he added.
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SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket – collectively referred to as Starship – represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.
According to SpaceX, Starship is the “world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, capable of carrying up to 150 metric tonnes fully reusable and 250 metric tonnes expendable.”