Musk aims for the first Mars voyage in 2026.

Just two days after the third unsuccessful test flight of the SpaceX Starship, the company's CEO, Elon Musk, quickly made a new statement: By the end of 2026, Starship is expected to conduct its first unmanned mission to Mars. This announcement was made through a video released on the SpaceX website, where Musk also revealed the subsequent development schedule for Starship for the first time.

Musk noted that the end of 2026 is a critical window when Earth and Mars align due to their orbital paths, offering the shortest route and the lowest energy opportunity for space travel. This window, occurring every two years, means the spacecraft can reach Mars in just 7 to 9 months. He stated that if Starship achieves key technical breakthroughs like orbital refueling, there is a "50% chance" of making this window; otherwise, it would be postponed to the next one in 2028.

This unmanned mission will carry the Tesla-manufactured humanoid robot "Optimus" to simulate crew operations, laying the groundwork for future manned missions. Musk expects that human astronauts might accompany the spacecraft on the second or third Mars mission.

Notably, just the day before announcing the new plan, Musk confirmed he would step down from his position in the Trump administration's "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE). He stated that he would focus on commercial projects like SpaceX and Tesla in the future, reducing his involvement in government work.

According to Musk's vision, eventually, during each Mars window, between 1,000 to 2,000 Starships will be launched to Mars, aiming to establish a "self-sustaining, permanent" human colony there.

Meanwhile, NASA is also advancing its plans, aiming to return humans to the Moon using the Starship as early as 2027, with plans to send astronauts to Mars in the 2030s. Musk has long advocated for accelerating manned missions to Mars, initially proposing 2018 as the target for the first unmanned launch and 2024 for the first manned landing.

Although Starship's technical challenges have not been fully overcome, especially with uncertainties in orbital refueling, thermal protection, and re-entry control, Musk's latest statement has undoubtedly reignited public and space exploration communities' anticipation for Mars colonization.

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