The billionaire says an unmanned mission by his SpaceX "Starship" vehicle will be followed by human landings as early as 2029.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Saturday its massive Starship rocket would leave for Mars at the end of 2026 with Tesla humanoid robot Optimus onboard, adding that human landings could follow "as soon as 2029.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said on Friday that Starship is set to depart for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Tesla humanoid bot Optimus.

Elon Musk announced that SpaceX's Starship would launch for Mars in late 2026, carrying Tesla's Optimus robot. Human landings could begin by 2029 or 2031. While Musk prioritises Mars colonisation, US President Trump has stated it's not a key government focus.

NASA is also awaiting a modified version of Starship as a lunar lander for its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon this decade.

Elon Musk on Saturday announced that SpaceX's Starship Mars will be carried out by the end of 2026. After a success, the company will focus on human landing on Mars by 2029-2031.

Elon Musk announced plans for SpaceX's Starship to reach Mars with the robotic Optimus by the end of next year. Successful landings could expedite human missions, potentially as early as 2029, although a 2031 timeline seems more probable.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk confirmed on Saturday that the company’s Starship rocket is slated to depart for Mars by the end of 2026, carrying Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus on board.

Elon Musk has announced plans for the Starship to depart for Mars at the end of next year, carrying the robot Optimus. If successful, human landings could commence by 2029, with 2031 being a more likely target.

SpaceX’s Starship and heavy booster -- the world's biggest and most powerful rocket system -- will launch for Mars by 2026, and human landings on the Red Planet will likely begin in 2031, said billionaire Elon Musk on Saturday.