Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has long dreamed of sending humans to Mars, and his company SpaceX’s Starship is set to play a central role in making that vision a reality. Musk now says the first Starship mission to Mars could take place in 2029.
Recently, Musk shared a striking photo of Starship on X (formerly Twitter), clarifying that the design is real and not generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
When asked about the Mars mission timeline, he replied that as early as November or December next year, a crew of Optimus humanoid robots may be launched toward Mars aboard Starship. If successful, an uncrewed mission could follow about three and a half years later in 2029, with a crewed mission roughly five and a half years after that. Musk estimates it may take 20 to 30 years to establish a self-sustaining city on the Red Planet.
A photograph of Starship taken by renowned space photographer John Kraus quickly went viral, with many amazed at its futuristic, science-fiction-like design. Musk, however, emphasized that it is not concept art but a real spacecraft intended to carry humans to Mars.
He explained that the design and development of Starship rely not on AI but on human ingenuity, rapid prototyping, and continuous testing. SpaceX has also revealed that 90 percent of the spacecraft’s components are now 3D-printed, reducing construction costs by half. Musk cited this as proof that advanced engineering is achievable without AI.
On September 24, SpaceX confirmed that Starship’s design and production are progressing steadily. Musk’s long-term goal is to make humanity a multiplanetary species.
Still, the project faces significant technical challenges, including:
Difficulties with controlled landings of Starship’s upper stage
Orbital refueling technology not yet proven
Concerns over the durability of heat shields
Complexities of reusable rocket systems
Despite these hurdles, Musk and his team remain confident that Starship will one day carry humans to Mars, marking a historic leap in space exploration.
