Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, announced plans to send Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus aboard the Starship rocket to Mars, targeting a launch late next year. "Starship launches late next year with Optimus on board to Mars," wrote Musk on his platform X.
Starship departs for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2025
If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely. https://t.co/JRBB95sgNN
SpaceX's Starship rocket is envisioned as the largest and most powerful rocket in the world, with a total height of 123 meters—about 30 meters taller than the Statue of Liberty—and designed to carry large payloads into orbit. Starship is a fully reusable rocket system aligning with Musk's vision for colonizing Mars and reducing costs for future space missions.
The inclusion of Optimus, a humanoid robot created by Tesla engineers, marks a step in interplanetary exploration. According to Musk, humans could follow the Starship to Mars three to five years after the initial launch, potentially beginning as early as 2029, although 2031 is more likely. Successful landings of Starship, initially carrying robots like Optimus, could pave the way for these human missions.
However, SpaceX faces challenges before these ambitions can be realized. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident involving the failed Starship launch and has demanded that SpaceX conduct its own investigation into the explosion. This month, SpaceX experienced a setback when its latest test flight of the Starship prototype ended in failure, with the upper stage tumbling uncontrollably before an explosion occurred.
The reliability and safety of Starship are critical for both Mars and lunar missions. Before SpaceX can complete its Mars and lunar missions, it must demonstrate that Starship is reliable, safe for the crew, and capable of performing orbital refueling operations, which are essential for deep space missions.
In addition to Mars ambitions, NASA expects a modified version of Starship to be used as a lunar landing module for its Artemis program, aiming to return astronauts to the Moon this decade. This collaboration underscores the importance of Starship in the future of space exploration.
"Humanity should have a moon base, cities on Mars, and be out there among the stars," Musk stated. This mission aligns with his long-term vision of colonizing Mars.
Tesla introduced the Optimus robot in 2022. Musk showcased prototypes of the humanoid robot at an event in October 2022. Reports indicated that the robots were being remote-controlled by humans, indicating the developmental stage of the technology. Optimus is expected to retail for $20,000 to $30,000 when available. At the Tesla event in October, the Optimus robots were seen serving drinks and interacting with attendees, but they were being remote-controlled by humans elsewhere in the venue.
The integration of Optimus into the Mars mission reflects the broader goals of SpaceX and Tesla in advancing technology and exploration. The Starship spacecraft is critical to SpaceX's commercial satellite launch business and Musk's aspirations to colonize Mars. It is designed to be fully reusable and cost-effective, essential for future space missions.
Despite setbacks, Musk remains optimistic about the timeline for human missions to Mars. "Human landings could begin as early as 2029, although 2031 is more likely," Musk said on his social network X.
