The CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, announced that the company will commence its Mars missions by the end of 2026, with crewed missions to Mars set to be realized by 2031 at the latest.

Known for its groundbreaking projects in space exploration, SpaceX is gearing up to bring its long-awaited missions to Mars to life.

Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of the company, revealed that the Starship rocket will embark on its journey to Mars by the end of 2026. This historic mission not only represents a significant step forward for humankind but also highlights the potential role of artificial intelligence in space exploration. As part of the mission, Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, will also be sent to Mars. The Starship plays a central role in SpaceX’s mission to colonize space. Designed as a fully reusable rocket, the Starship aims to facilitate the transportation of both humans and heavy payloads over long distances. Musk emphasized that this colossal vehicle will not only be crucial for Mars missions but will also play a critical role in NASA’s Artemis program. As part of this program, the Starship will be used to land humans on the lunar surface. In addition to the mission, Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, will also be included. Optimus is planned to execute various tasks in the Martian environment, including setting up settlement areas, conducting environmental analyses, and identifying potential hazards. Musk believes that through Optimus’s artificial intelligence-based technologies, efficient explorations on the Martian surface can be carried out for the benefit of humanity. A DATE FOR THE FIRST CREWED MISSIONS IS SET Elon Musk underscored that if these missions are successfully accomplished, crewed Mars missions could potentially begin as early as 2029, but 2031 is seen as a more realistic target. Musk’s vision is to transform Mars into a habitable second planet for humanity, thus ensuring the multi-planetary nature of human civilization. IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE ON MARS? The discovery of past traces of actively flowing water on Mars’ surface, the existence of underground water reserves, a day cycle similar to Earth’s of approximately 24.6 hours, and the potential for the development of the planet’s atmospheric structure with technology in the future all fuel hopes that Mars could possess more favorable conditions to support life in the future. These clues suggest that the planet may have natural conditions that could sustain the life of microorganisms and be transformed into habitable areas for human life in the long term with suitable interventions.