Elon Musk Aims To Send First Uncrewed Starship To Mars By End Of 2026
Washington:
Two days after the latest in a string of test-flight setbacks for his big new Mars spacecraft, Starship, Elon Musk said on Thursday he foresees the futuristic vehicle making its first uncrewed voyage to the red planet at the end of next year.
Musk presented a detailed Starship development timeline in a video posted online by his Los Angeles area-based rocket company, SpaceX, a day after departing the administration of US President Donald Trump as head of a tumultuous campaign to slash government bureaucracy.
The billionaire entrepreneur had said earlier that he was planning to scale back his role in government to focus greater attention on his various businesses, including SpaceX and electric car and battery maker Tesla Inc.
Musk acknowledged that his latest timeline for reaching Mars hinged on whether Starship can accomplish a number of challenging technical feats during its flight-test development, particularly a post-launch refueling maneuver in Earth orbit.
The end of 2026 would coincide with a slim window that occurs once every two years when Mars and Earth align around the sun for the closest trip between the two planets, which would take seven to nine months to transit by spacecraft.
Musk gave his company a 50-50 chance of meeting that deadline. If Starship were not ready by that time, SpaceX would wait another two years before trying again, Musk suggested in the video.
The first flight to Mars would carry a simulated crew consisting of one or more robots of the Tesla-built humanoid Optimus design, with the first human crews following in the second or third landings.
NASA is currently aiming to return humans to the surface of the moon aboard Starship as early as 2027 - more than 50 years after its last manned lunar landings of the Apollo era - as a stepping stone toward ultimately launching astronauts to Mars sometime in the 2030s.
Musk, who has advocated for a more Mars-focused human spaceflight program, has previously said he was aiming to send an unmanned SpaceX vehicle to the red planet as early as 2018 and was targeting 2024 to launch a first crewed mission there.
The SpaceX founder was scheduled to deliver a live webcast presentation billed as "The Road to Making Life Multiplanetary" from the company's Starbase, Texas, launch site on Tuesday night, following a ninth test flight of Starship that evening.
But the speech was canceled without notice after Starship spun out of control and disintegrated in a fireball about 30 minutes after launch and roughly halfway through its flight path without achieving some of its most important test goals.
Two preceding test flights in January and March failed in more spectacular fashion, with the spacecraft blowing to pieces on ascent moments after liftoff, raining debris over parts of the Caribbean and forcing scores of commercial jetliners to change course as a precaution.
Musk shrugged off the latest mishap on Tuesday with a brief post on X, saying it produced a lot of "good data to review" and promising a faster launch "cadence" for the next several test flights.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
24 minutes ago
- Hans India
Elon Musk's Tumultuous Year: Political Power, Drug Use, and Family Drama
As Elon Musk rose to become one of Donald J. Trump's most influential allies during the 2024 presidential campaign, his personal life was unraveling behind the scenes. Sources close to the billionaire entrepreneur describe a period marked by escalating drug use, erratic behavior, and legal disputes involving several of his children and romantic partners. Musk, 53, donated roughly $275 million to support Trump's bid for a second term and became a frequent presence at rallies and inside the White House. But at the same time, he was reportedly using ketamine so frequently that he began experiencing side effects, including bladder issues—a known consequence of heavy use. According to individuals familiar with his behavior and a photo of his daily medication box, Musk was also taking Ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, and stimulants resembling Adderall. While it remains unclear whether he was under the influence while participating in official government activities, Musk's behavior during public events raised concerns. At one point, he was seen mimicking a Nazi salute at a rally and gave rambling, disjointed answers in a staged interview. On Wednesday evening, Musk announced he was stepping away from his role advising the government, citing a need to focus on his businesses. A Pattern of Escalating Behavior Musk and his legal team declined to comment on the allegations. In the past, he has acknowledged using ketamine under medical supervision to treat depression, claiming he only takes small, prescribed doses biweekly. However, those close to him told The New York Times that his usage was far more frequent and often recreational. 'He's pushed the boundaries of his behavior,' said Dr. Philip Low, a neuroscientist and former friend of Musk's, who publicly criticized the tech mogul for his controversial conduct, including the Nazi-like gesture at a political rally. Family Disputes and Custody Battles Musk's personal life has also come under strain. He is currently embroiled in legal and personal disputes involving several of his 14 known children, many of whom were born to different women under overlapping timelines. One of his former partners, the musician Claire Boucher (known as Grimes), is involved in a contentious custody battle over their 5-year-old son, X. She has expressed concern over Musk's decision to bring the child to public events—including meetings at the Oval Office—despite an agreement to keep their children out of the spotlight. People familiar with the case say she believes the travel and exposure are affecting the child's health. Another former partner, conservative commentator Ashley St. Clair, recently revealed she had a secret child with Musk. According to St. Clair, Musk offered her a financial settlement to remain silent about the child's paternity. When she declined, he sought a gag order, citing concerns for the child's security. St. Clair has since filed for child support and public acknowledgment of paternity. Drug Use Behind Closed Doors Musk's drug use has long been a topic of speculation. In a 2024 interview, he claimed ketamine helped him manage negative moods. But sources say his usage was far more extreme, often mixing ketamine with Ecstasy and mushrooms during private gatherings both in the U.S. and abroad. SpaceX, Musk's aerospace company and a major government contractor, is required to maintain a drug-free workplace. Insiders claim Musk received advance notice of random drug tests, raising questions about internal oversight. SpaceX declined to comment. The FDA permits limited ketamine use for depression through licensed providers but warns of its high abuse potential. Chronic use can lead to dissociation, addiction, and organ damage. Political Influence and Fallout As Musk's influence in Washington grew, so did scrutiny. He began assisting with Trump's presidential transition and was involved in key meetings shaping policy, including a proposed Department of Government Efficiency. He also spent time at Mar-a-Lago and joined calls with foreign leaders. At the same time, Musk was facing multiple investigations into Tesla and other ventures, including scrutiny over autonomous vehicle crashes and allegations of discrimination at his factories. In a text to a confidant last year, Musk wrote, 'The Biden administration views me as the #2 threat after Trump… I can't be president, but I can help Trump defeat Biden and I will.' Private Life, Public Controversies Musk's advocacy for large families appears to have extended into his private life. He's fathered children with multiple women, often simultaneously, and promoted the 'pronatalist' movement—a push for increased global birthrates. At one point, he was involved with three women at once, including Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis, who has had four children with him via surrogacy. Former friends and allies have become increasingly vocal in their criticism. Public intellectual Sam Harris cut ties with Musk earlier this year, writing that he had become a promoter of misinformation and had lost his moral compass. In January, Musk appeared at an inauguration celebration where he delivered a chest-thumping salute widely interpreted as fascist in nature. He later dismissed the backlash as a 'positive gesture.' Weeks later, Musk took the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference, wielding a chainsaw given to him by Argentine President Javier Milei and declaring, 'This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy!' Elon Musk's Tumultuous Year: Political Power, Drug Use, and Family Drama As Musk withdraws from direct government involvement, questions linger about his ability to balance his public role, business empire, and personal life. While his supporters continue to champion his genius and vision, others close to him express deep concern about the toll his behavior is taking on those around him—and on the institutions he now influences.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
After Europe, now Tesla's sales crash in Canada's Quebec, Elon Musk's company sold only 524 cars in 3 months
Tesla's bumpy ride is no longer just in Europe, the EV maker now has a steep sales decline in Canada, in the province of Québec, in the first quarter of 2025, as per a report. Tesla Model Y and Model 3 Take the Hardest Hit in Québec Just 524 new Teslas were registered in Québec during the first three months of 2025, as per data from the vehicle registration authority in Québec, reported Business Insider. That's a huge drop from the 5,097 vehicles registered in the final three months of 2024 alone, a decline of more than 85%, according to the report. Tesla's top-selling Model Y suffered the worst blow as its sales fell to a mere 360 units from 3,274 units in the final quarter of 2024, as per Business Insider. During the same period, the Model 3, Tesla's lowest-priced car, also fell even more dramatically by 94% to just 96 registrations from 1,786, according to the report. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Seniors Are Snapping Up This TV Box, We Explain! Techno Mag Learn More Undo ALSO READ: Jensen Huang on edge: After DeepSeek, Chinese chipmakers may threaten Nvidia's dominance Seasonal Dip or Sign of Something Bigger? While car sales historically are lower in the beginning of the year, this type of dip is much greater than is normal, and it occurs as Tesla deals with the same issue overseas, including in Europe, where its sales declined by nearly 50% in April, even as demand for electric cars overall rose, as per Business Insider. Live Events Rebate Freeze May Be Fueling the Drop One of the reasons for Tesla's woes in Canada could be an unexpected shutdown of federal EV rebates, because in March, the Canadian government suspended $43 million in rebates, and each individual claim is now under review, reported Business Insider. ALSO READ: Tesla gets a big shoutout from Jensen Huang, says this Elon Musk product is the next trillion-dollar industry The freeze came after a sudden spike in Tesla rebate requests, doubling from 300 to almost 5,800 per day, that led the government to conduct a formal review, according to the report. Canada's Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland had mentioned that the EV maker would remain ineligible for future incentives as long as US president Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on Canadian goods are in place, reported Business Insider. FAQs Is Tesla struggling only in Canada? No, Tesla is also seeing steep sales drops in Europe, even though demand for EVs continues to grow there. Why did Canadian Tesla sales fall so much? One big reason is a federal rebate freeze, which halted $43 million in EV incentives.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
ETtech Explainer: What is XChat, the new DM feature coming to X
Elon Musk-owned social media platform X has been rolling out a new direct message (DM) feature to its beta users. The new DM interface will be a robust replacement for X's existing messaging feature. With XChat in the works, X has stopped encrypting the present DM feature, as it would be redundant with the new rollout. XChat availabilitySeveral beta testers who have paid for X's subscription product have been able to access XChat. Independent researcher Nima Owji confirmed that the feature is working and has several modern features. Earlier, X users with a paid subscription were able to use a limited version of encrypted messaging for two years. What XChat offers According to Owji, XChat will support advanced group chats and a vanishing mode, to automatically delete messages after a set time period. The new DM feature will also offer Signal-like encryption, something Musk has been vying for since his takeover of the social media platform. Messages seem to be secured behind a four-digit passcode. There's more Musk has shared plans in the past to develop X, formerly known as Twitter, in an 'everything app'. To this end, the platform has been working on X Money, a digital transaction platform built into X. Visa has stepped in to power the digital wallet, which is slated to launch later in 2025.
