Elon Musk announced via X that he plans to launch unmanned Starship rockets to Mars within two years, with the first crewed mission potentially launching as early as 2028. While Musk’s optimistic predictions often fall short of expectations – he once claimed Tesla would achieve full self-driving capability “soon,” a goal yet to be realized – he stated that the unmanned Starship mission would coincide with the next Earth-to-Mars transfer window, expected to open between November and December 2026. If the Mars landing is successful, the first crewed mission to Mars will follow within four years. He predicts an exponential increase in Mars travel thereafter, with the goal of establishing a self-sustaining city on Mars within 20 years.
