Elon Musk 'Guesses' SpaceX Mission to Mars Could Happen in 2024

The solar orbits of Mars and Earth bring the two planets to their closest pass roughly once every two years. This is why three robotic missions were launched to the Red Planet — including NASA's Perseverance rover — within weeks of one another, this July.

"I think we've got a fighting chance," said Musk about launching during the 2024 Mars window. But to do it, his team at SpaceX needs to move faster — and Musk isn't afraid of breaking a few proverbial eggs to get there.

"We'll probably lose a few ships," he said when speaking about the Starship spacecraft's development — which is slated to take dozens of people to Mars in one trip.

The first Martians will likely be rich Earthlings

As of writing, initial Starship prototypes have carried out short, low-altitude "hops" from the Texas-based SpaceX test facility. Musk wants early models to make orbit for the first time in 2021. He also thinks the company should perform a refueling demo in orbit during 2022, and then make the days-long journey to the moon.

However, the founder and chief engineer has no secret milestones carved in stone. "These are just guesses," said Musk to the Mars Society President Robert Zubrin, during the Zoom call.

On the subject of who gets to go to Mars, Musk said a city on Mars will be sustainable once one million people both want and can afford to go to the Red Planet. In other words, the first Martians will probably be among the richest Earthlings.

Possible SpaceX trips to Venus, asteroids, Jupiter moons

Once they're there, the first task will be to set up a propellant plant. Musk also spoke about sending robotic droids to the surface of Mars — so people who don't get to go can still remotely interact with the fourth planet from the sun.

Musk also spoke about possibly sending other spacecraft to the second planet from the sun: Venus — whose atmosphere recently caused quite a stir. There's also the potential to visit large asteroids, the moons of Jupiter, and perhaps even the Kuiper Belt, and farther beyond the solar system.