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.

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

Despite recent failures, Elon Musk insisted the world's most powerful rocket will soon blast off to the Red Planet. The tech billionaire said human landings could begin before the end of the decade.