Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, announced on Saturday that the massive Starship rocket, developed by his company, is set to launch towards Mars at the end of 2026. The mission will carry the Tesla robot known as “Optimus,” and Musk indicated that human landings on the red planet could occur within a few years after the launch.

In a post on the social media platform X, Musk stated, “The Starship rocket will head towards Mars by the end of next year, carrying the Optimus robot.” He also mentioned that if the landing operations go smoothly, humans might begin to set foot on Mars as early as 2029, although 2031 is deemed the most likely timeframe for such an event. This ambitious plan marks a significant step in SpaceX’s ongoing efforts to explore and potentially colonize Mars.