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

Elon Musk has announced that SpaceX's Starship rocket is set to depart for Mars in March 2026. The humanoid robot Optimus will be onboard. SpaceX has scheduled its first Starship rocket flight to Mars for March 2026.

Elon Musk has announced plans for the Starship to depart for Mars at the end of next year, carrying the robot Optimus. If successful, human landings could commence by 2029, with 2031 being a more likely target.