Controversy
Status:Open
Will SpaceX Launch an Unmanned Starship Mission to Mars in 2026?
UNLIKELYLIKELY
Claims
Steven Berg“It's really hard for me to be that optimistic [about a 2026 Mars launch] based on the recent Starship test results.”Dec 06, 2025
Ewan Morrison"Prediction: Elon Musk & SpaceX will miss the late 2026 launch window for Mars."Dec 06, 2025
Elon Musk"Slight chance of Starship flight to Mars crewed by Optimus in Nov/Dec next year [2026]".Dec 06, 2025
Michael Salla"Musk's Starship program may fly to Mars as early as 2026, with the first manned landings happening in 2029."Dec 06, 2025
TheSpaceEngineer"As for the ship itself, 2026 IS theoretically feasible ONLY if flight tests from this point onwards go spot on."Dec 06, 2025
Jim Cantrell"Starship may not be ready for this [2026] window but you can count on it making the next window in 2028."Dec 06, 2025
Elon Musk"We've probably got about a 50% chance of sending ships from Earth to Mars at the end of next year [2026]."Dec 06, 2025
Ozan Bellik"I'm willing to bet at this point that no Starship is heading to Mars in '26."Dec 06, 2025
Dima Zeniuk"Despite the recent explosion, SpaceX still has a good chance to launch Starship to Mars in 2026."Dec 06, 2025
Elon Musk"The first Starships to Mars will launch in 2 years when the next [2026] Earth-Mars transfer window opens."Dec 06, 2025
Saad"The 2026 uncrewed mission is feasible, given SpaceX’s progress with Starship’s orbital tests and rapid development pace."Dec 06, 2025
Yatharth"SpaceX is still on track to send Starship(s) to Mars by the end of next year [2026]."Dec 06, 2025
Spacex"We recently tested shield materials in a simulated Martian atmosphere as we aim to launch the first Starships to Mars in 2026."Dec 06, 2025
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0