On Sunday, Elon Musk revealed that SpaceX is getting ready to send about five unmanned Starship missions to Mars in the next two years.
In a post on the social media platform X, Musk confirmed this timeline, explaining that these missions will take place during the next Earth-Mars transfer window, which is scheduled to open in two years.
“Whatever the results of the landing attempts, SpaceX will dramatically boost the number of spacecraft journeying to Mars with every transit opportunity that arises.”
Our goal is to enable anyone who wants to experience space travel to go to Mars! This includes you, your family, and friends—anyone who dreams of embarking on an exciting adventure,” the SpaceX CEO stated in his tweet.
The success of these uncrewed flights will be pivotal in establishing the timeline for SpaceX’s inaugural crewed mission to Mars. Musk indicated that if the uncrewed missions land successfully, crewed missions could potentially begin in four years.
However, any major setbacks could push this timeline back by another two years.
Musk, known for modifying timelines related to Starship’s readiness, had earlier stated that the first uncrewed mission to Mars could take place within five years, with humans expected to land on the planet within seven years.
In June, SpaceX marked a significant achievement when a Starship rocket successfully endured a fiery reentry and completed a full test mission, landing in the Indian Ocean after four attempts.
Musk envisions Starship as a next-generation spacecraft intended to transport both people and cargo to the Moon and, eventually, Mars.
Meanwhile, NASA has delayed its Artemis 3 mission—the first crewed moon landing in over 50 years—to September 2026. This mission will use SpaceX’s Starship and was originally planned for late 2025; the delay is attributed to uncertainties in development.
Additionally, in June, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa canceled a private mission around the Moon aboard Starship, citing similar delays in the rocket’s development.