Tech billionaire and founder of SpaceX Elon Musk on Saturday (Mar 15) said that its massive Starship rocket would leave for Mars at the end of 2026. Musk mentioned that the spacecraft will go with the Tesla humanoid robot Optimus. 

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Interestingly, he noted that human landings could follow "as soon as 2029". Musk, who is also the Tesla CEO brought out the company's Optimus robots at an event last year. 

Taking to his social media account X, Musk said, "Starship departs for Mars next year, carrying humanoid robot Optimus: Musks. If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely." 

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Starship, which is the world's largest and most powerful rocket, is key to Musk's long-term vision of colonising Mars. 

Starship is designed to be fully reusable, with the ability to launch into orbit, return to Earth, and launch again without significant refurbishment. 

Starship is powered by methane-powered Raptor engines, which are more efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional rocket fuels. 

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The rockets are capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTVL), which allows it to launch and land without the need for a separate launch vehicle. 

It also has a payload capacity of up to 150 tonnes, making it capable of carrying large payloads to the Moon, Mars and other destinations in the solar system. 

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Are SpaceX spacecraft safe? 

Before going ahead with these ambitious programmes of landing on the Moon and Mars, SpaceX must prove that its vehicle can handle various aspects of deep space missions, such as the capability of complex in-orbit refuelling and more. 

Earlier this month, SpaceX faced a setback when its latest test flight of the Starship prototype ended in a fiery explosion, even as the booster was successfully caught in its orbital test - just like the previous attempt. 

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A live video feed showed the upper stage tumbling uncontrollably before the signal abruptly cut minutes after liftoff and booster separation. It marked its eighth uncrewed orbital test. 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said SpaceX will be required to conduct an investigation before it can fly again.

(With inputs from agencies)