The journey to Mars requires careful planning, with optimal launch windows occurring every 18 months. A nine-month trip means astronauts must address any onboard issues without support. The Lunar Gateway can enhance these missions by allowing launches from the Moon, reducing Earth's gravity constraints. However, significant challenges remain concerning safety and profitability, especially given recent issues faced by aerospace companies. NASA faces critical decisions about the Artemis program versus a Mars focus, and timelines are challenging, with SpaceX aiming for uncrewed missions soon followed by crewed ones by 2028.
SpaceX states that it will send five uncrewed Starships to Mars next year with an aim to send humans to Mars in 2028.
The optimal fuel route for Mars involves arriving when the two planets are roughly on opposite sides of the sun.
There is no doubt that, with some work, SpaceX will be able to make a landing on Mars.
Either keep going with its Artemis program and the Lunar Gateway, or aim for Mars and be primarily dependent on Musk.
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