Elon Musk: Starships Launch for Mars in 2026. Crewed Flights Possible By 2028

'The first Starships to Mars will launch in 2 years,' Elon Musk posted on X.com this weekend.

Musk said the launches will happen when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens, which the science blog NextBigFuture identifies as 'about November through December 2026.' Musk noted that the 2026 missions 'will be uncrewed to test the reliability of landing intact on Mars,' but 'If those landings go well, then the first crewed flights to Mars will be in 4 years.'

'Flight rate will grow exponentially from there, with the goal of building a self-sustaining city in about 20 years. Being multiplanetary will vastly increase the probable lifespan of consciousness, as we will no longer have all our eggs, literally and metabolically, on one planet.'

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