SpaceX's Starship, spearheaded by Elon Musk, is slated to journey towards Mars by next year's end with Tesla's humanoid bot, Optimus, on board. Musk envisions human landings by 2029 or 2031 if initial trials succeed.

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.

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.