Elon Musk Mars Project: SpaceX to Launch First Starship in Two Years | ABP News
Elon Musk's SpaceX is now shifting its focus from the Moon to Mars, with plans to send a spacecraft to the Red Planet within the next two years. On Saturday, Musk announced that SpaceX will launch its first uncrewed Starship to Mars as soon as the Earth-Mars transfer window opens. Musk explained that this initial mission will test the Starship’s reliability and its capability for a safe landing on Mars. If successful, SpaceX plans to initiate crewed missions within the next four years. He also mentioned that if these missions prove successful, the pace of Mars colonization will accelerate. According to reports, Musk envisions establishing a city on Mars within the next 20 years, with small dome-like habitats being developed. He has instructed SpaceX employees to work on plans for building a city on Mars and emphasized the need to search for life on other planets to avoid over-reliance on Earth. Additionally, SpaceX is developing spacesuits to handle Mars' harsh environment and researching the potential for human reproduction on Mars. While Musk had previously estimated that colonizing Mars could take between 40 to 100 years, he now aims to achieve this within two decades, with a goal of settling around one million people on the planet. SpaceX has encountered challenges, with three previous Starship flights failing. However, the company made significant progress with a successful test flight in June, showcasing its reusable rocket technology designed to reduce interplanetary travel costs.