Musk Says Starship to Depart for Mars at End of 2026

(FILES) The SpaceX Starship lifts off from Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, on October 13, 2024, for the Starship Flight 5 test. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES / AFP)
(FILES) The SpaceX Starship lifts off from Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, on October 13, 2024, for the Starship Flight 5 test. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES / AFP)
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Musk Says Starship to Depart for Mars at End of 2026

(FILES) The SpaceX Starship lifts off from Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, on October 13, 2024, for the Starship Flight 5 test. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES / AFP)
(FILES) The SpaceX Starship lifts off from Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, on October 13, 2024, for the Starship Flight 5 test. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES / AFP)

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Saturday its massive Starship rocket would leave for Mars at the end of 2026 with Tesla humanoid robot Optimus onboard, adding that human landings could follow "as soon as 2029."

"Starship departs for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus. If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely," Musk said on his X social network, according to AFP.

Musk, who is also the Tesla CEO, brought out the company's Optimus robots at an event last year.

He said the dancing robots would one day be able to do menial tasks, as well as offer friendship, and expected them to retail for $20,000 to $30,000.

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

Standing 403 feet (123 meters) tall -- about 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty -- Starship is designed to eventually be fully reusable.

NASA is also awaiting a modified version of Starship as a lunar lander for its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon this decade.

But before SpaceX can carry out those missions, it must prove the vehicle is reliable, safe for crew, and capable of complex in-orbit refueling -- critical for deep space missions.

SpaceX faced a setback this month 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.

It was a near replay of the previous attempt.

Minutes after liftoff and booster separation, a live video feed showed the upper stage tumbling uncontrollably before the signal abruptly cut.

Dramatic footage circulating online showed red-hot debris raining down over the Bahamas.

It marked its eighth uncrewed orbital test.



Elevator at Obelisk Offers Breathtaking View of Buenos Aires

Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)
Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)
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Elevator at Obelisk Offers Breathtaking View of Buenos Aires

Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)
Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)

The famous Obelisk in Buenos Aires Obelisk now offers a breathtaking new perspective. With the addition of an elevator, visitors can ascend this iconic monument to have panoramic views of the vibrant city below.

Quoting Architect Juan Vacas, AFP said the 67.5-meter-tall Obelisk was erected in 1936, and stands at the intersection of Corrientes Street, renowned for its dynamic theater scene, and Avenida 9 de Julio, which according to tourist guides is the widest avenue in the world.

Vacas describes the monument as “the heart of Buenos Aires.”

The Obelisk witnessed pivotal events in Argentina’s history, including Raul Alfonsin's historic 1983 presidential campaign and a tribute for football legend Diego Maradona in 2020.

Recently, the Obelisk was illuminated with the image of late Pope Francis.

During the 2022 World Cup, millions gathered around the city’s Obelisk where pictures of the players were projected. Some fans broke its doors and climbed to the top through service stairs.

The elevator rises the equivalent of twenty floors in just 55 seconds, although visitors must still climb 35 steps to reach the viewing platform, from where visitors can see Rio de la Plata.

This tourism project, completed recently, was “a major challenge for architects” as all materials had to be brought in through a narrow door.

“The entire system was prefabricated, meticulously assembled and reassembled within the Obelisk's narrow space,” noted Vacas.

Currently in a trial phase, the elevator has attracted 25,000 eager people for early access, the municipality said in a statement on its Instagram account.