Elon Musk plans to launch first Starships to Mars within 2 years

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has announced plans to begin uncrewed Starship missions to Mars within the next two years, aiming to establish a human city on the Red Planet over the coming decades.

Musk revealed that the first crewed missions could follow within four to six years, depending on the resolution of key economic and technological challenges.

SpaceX intends to launch its Starship spacecraft toward Mars when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens in late 2026.

These initial flights will be uncrewed to test Starship's landing capabilities and ensure crew safety for future missions.

If successful, the first crewed missions could begin between 2028 and 2030.

Musk has emphasised the urgency of these timelines, citing low birthrates as one of humanity's greatest threats.

He believes that becoming a multiplanetary species will significantly extend the lifespan of human consciousness by reducing the risks associated with being confined to a single planet.

To achieve the ambitious goal of building a functional city on Mars within 20 years, Musk noted that the cost of transporting payloads to Mars needs to be dramatically reduced.

Currently, it costs about $1 billion per ton to deliver useful cargo to Mars' surface.

Musk aims to bring this cost down to $100,000 per ton, which would require a 10,000-fold improvement in technology.

He acknowledged that achieving this level of efficiency would be extremely challenging but not impossible.

The rapid development required for these missions may necessitate a radical overhaul of space-based logistics and communications.

According to NASA research, blockchain technology could play a crucial role in managing communications and logistics between satellites and spacecraft, providing a future-oriented solution to these challenges.

SpaceX, with its extensive network of Starlink satellites, is well-positioned to implement such technologies.

A report from The Independent on September 6 indicated that SpaceX currently operates 6,370 active Starlink satellites, accounting for over 62% of all active satellites in low-Earth orbit.

Musk’s vision for Mars not only involves advancing space technology but also finding new ways to make interplanetary living sustainable, driven by innovative solutions in logistics, transportation, and communication.