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Musk: SpaceX Plans to Launch About 5 Uncrewed Starships to Mars in Two Years

FILE - Elon Musk arrives before a joint meeting of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)
FILE - Elon Musk arrives before a joint meeting of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)
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Musk: SpaceX Plans to Launch About 5 Uncrewed Starships to Mars in Two Years

FILE - Elon Musk arrives before a joint meeting of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)
FILE - Elon Musk arrives before a joint meeting of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)

SpaceX plans to launch about five uncrewed Starships to Mars in two years, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said in a post on social media platform X on Sunday.

"If those all land safely, then crewed missions are possible in four years," he said, adding that in case of any challenges the crewed missions will be postponed another two years.

"No matter what happens with landing success, SpaceX will increase the number of spaceships traveling to Mars exponentially with every transit opportunity," the SpaceX founder said.

Musk mentioned the launch of the uncrewed Starships to Mars earlier this month in a post on X, saying "first Starships to Mars will launch in 2 years when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens."

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New Pair of Giant Pandas Gifted by Beijing Arrives in Hong Kong

A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
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New Pair of Giant Pandas Gifted by Beijing Arrives in Hong Kong

A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT

Hong Kong welcomed a new pair of giant pandas gifted by Beijing on Thursday with a lavish ceremony, raising hopes for a boost to the city's tourism.
An An and Ke Ke are the third pair of giant pandas to be sent to the city from mainland China since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Their arrival came after their new neighbor, Ying Ying, gave birth to twins last month and became the world’s oldest first-time panda mother on record, The Associated Press reported.
The newcomers bring the Ocean Park panda population to six, including the father of the twins, Le Le. Ocean Park chairman Paulo Pong Kin-Yee noted that would make three generations of giant pandas at the popular Hong Kong zoo and aquarium attraction.
Chief Executive John Lee said An An is a 5-year-old male panda who is agile, intelligent and active, while Ke Ke, a 5-year-old female, is good at climbing, cute and has a gentle temperament.
The new arrivals will be in quarantine for two months to adapt to their new home. Lee expressed hope that the public could meet the new bears in mid-December.
In October, the government will invite residents to propose new names that showcase the pandas’ characteristics.
Tourism industry representatives are optimistic about the potential impact of housing six pandas, hoping it will boost visitor numbers in Hong Kong. Officials have encouraged businesses to capitalize on the popularity of the new bears and newborn cubs to seize opportunities in what some lawmakers have dubbed the “panda economy."
Pandas are considered China’s unofficial national mascot. The country's giant panda loan program with overseas zoos has long been seen as a tool of Beijing’s soft-power diplomacy. Giant pandas are only found in China's southwest and their population is under threat from development.
But caring for pandas in captivity is expensive.