SpaceX plans to launch about five unmanned Starship spacecraft to Mars over the next two years, company CEO Elon Musk announced Sunday on the social network X, which he also owns.
“SpaceX plans to launch five Starships to Mars in two years,” said Musk, who founded the company in 2002.
The businessman explained that if these unmanned missions land successfully, manned missions could be carried out. within four yearsHowever, if “challenges” arise, manned missions would be postponed by two more years, to reach a six-year horizon.
“Regardless of the outcome of the landings, SpaceX will exponentially increase the number of ships that travel to mars every window of opportunity,” Musk said.
Earlier this month, the tycoon had already mentioned these plans in another publication on xin which he states that the first ships bound for Mars they would take off in two yearscoinciding with the next Earth-Mars transfer window.
SpaceX plans to launch about five uncrewed spacecraft to Mars in two years.
If all land safely, crewed missions will be possible in four years. If we encounter difficulties, crewed missions will be postponed for another two years.
It is only possible to travel from…
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 22, 2024
Musk has proposed different timelines for SpaceX’s arrival on Mars. In April, he indicated that the first unmanned spacecraft would land within five yearswhile the first crewed missions would take place in seven years.
To reach Mars, SpaceX has designed a ship called Starship, considered the largest and most powerful in the world, which seeks to open new frontiers in space exploration.
In April, Starship managed to survive a hypersonic reentry to Earth and landed in a controlled manner in the Indian Ocean, demonstrating its ability to successfully carry out space missions.
