Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, shared that the Starship rocket is scheduled to launch for Mars by the end of 2026, carrying the Tesla humanoid robot Optimus. Musk mentioned the possibility of human landings on Mars starting as early as 2029, with a more likely timeline of 2031. The Starship rocket is a crucial part of Musk’s plan to establish a human presence on Mars.
NASA is also looking forward to using a modified version of the Starship as a lunar lander for its Artemis program, aiming to return astronauts to the Moon within this decade. However, before embarking on these ambitious missions, SpaceX needs to ensure the reliability, safety, and capability of the vehicle, including complex in-orbit refueling essential for deep space missions.
Recently, SpaceX faced a setback with its Starship prototype test flight, which ended in a fiery explosion. Despite successfully catching the booster in its orbital test, the upper stage tumbled uncontrollably after liftoff. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires SpaceX to conduct an investigation before resuming flights.
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