Tech Desk 
May 31, 2025
SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space company, is still planning to send its powerful Starship rocket to Mars as early as 2026, despite a few recent test failures.
In a video update shared on May 29, Musk said that the team is improving with each test flight and learning more about how to make Starship safe and reusable.
The rocket is made of two parts, the Super Heavy booster and the upper stage called Ship, which will eventually be refueled in space before heading to Mars.
The latest test flight — Starship Flight 9 — made it to space but lost control due to a fuel leak.
However, Musk remains hopeful, saying there’s a “50/50 chance” of hitting the 2026 Mars window. The first mission will carry only uncrewed Ships and Tesla-built Optimus robots to explore the Red Planet.
By 2028, SpaceX could send up to 20 Starships, and if early missions go well, humans may be on board. The long-term goal is to build a city on Mars with over a million people, one that can survive without Earth. Musk’s team is considering Arcadia Planitia, a flat area on Mars with water ice, as the location.
Starship’s reusability, power, and future versions — possibly as tall as 466 feet — are key to this dream. Musk ended his update saying, “It’s time to get it done.”
