SpaceX's Starship can reach Mars in just 6 months, claims Elon Musk — here's the plan

Elon Musk Says Mars Trip Could Take Just Six Months (Image: @elonmusk/X)

The dream of touching Martian soil no longer feels distant. Elon Musk believes his spacecraft might make it there in just six months. For many, that’s faster than a holiday visa.

The billionaire CEO of SpaceX shared the claim on X, saying Starships could travel to Mars within half a year — not the usual ten. The secret lies in launching during rare planetary alignments that happen every 26 months.

Planets Align for a Shorter Journey

According to Musk, Mars missions are best launched during “opposition”. This is when Earth sits between Mars and the Sun. It creates a window where the two planets are closest in orbit.

NASA confirms that these oppositions happen every 26 months. During one in 2005, Earth and Mars were just 70.3 million kilometres apart. Normally, they’re about 249 million kilometres away.

Responding to a space-themed post, Musk wrote, “Starship can reach Mars in 6 months every 26 months when the planets align.” His post came ahead of SpaceX’s next major test mission.

Starship can reach Mars in 6 months every 26 months when the planets align https://t.co/CPiBqHCb4P Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 26, 2025

SpaceX Eyes 2026 for Mars Launch

On 15 May, Musk said Starship could lift off for Mars by the end of 2026. That flight will carry Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus. It’s a test before sending humans as early as 2029.

“If those landings go well, human missions may begin in 2029, but 2031 is more likely,” Musk added. The Mars-bound rocket will launch from SpaceX’s Starbase in southern Texas. The facility lies near a village now renamed Starbase after the company.

A test flight is scheduled for later today, with the launch window opening at 6:30 pm local time. The last two test flights ended in failure, with Starship’s upper stages exploding mid-air and scattering debris across Caribbean islands.

Race to Get Ready for Mars

SpaceX is pushing all efforts into the Starship programme. The Wall Street Journal reported that staff and resources are being shifted to prepare for a Mars trip in 2026. Previous failures have not stopped the company’s momentum.

Musk’s vision of a human future on Mars is slowly taking shape. With opposition drawing near and tests underway, the next chapter in space travel may begin sooner than expected.