Elon Musk says the first Starship launch to Mars will happen in two years

The first uncrewed flight to Mars on SpaceX's Starship will take place in two years.

Thus, as reported by foreign media, Telegraph reports, the CEO of the company, Elon Musk, said on Saturday.

"The first Starships to Mars will launch in 2 years, when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens..." Musk wrote in an X post.

"If those landings go well, then the first manned flights to Mars will be in 4 years," he added.

The first Starships to Mars will launch in 2 years when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens.

These will be uncrewed to test the reliability of landing intact on Mars. If those landings go well, then the first crewed flights to Mars will be in 4 years.

Flight rate will… https://t.co/ZuiM00dpe9

- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 7, 2024

Musk, who founded SpaceX in 2002, said he expects flight rates to "increase exponentially" if both of those dates are met.

The ultimate goal, he said, would be to build a "self-sustaining city in about 20 years."

Musk's latest statements mark a slight departure from the timeline he originally shared in April.

"Starship will be on Mars in 5 years," Musk wrote in an X post on March 15.

Musk did not specify at the time whether the flight would be crewed or uncrewed.

Musk's plans to "colonize" Mars have long been a target, and the billionaire has repeatedly announced target dates - which he has since changed. /Telegraph/