Elon Musk has announced that SpaceX will send an uncrewed Mars mission by the end of next year. Optimus, a robot developed by Tesla, will be the passenger on this mission. However, experts question its feasibility due to technical and logistical challenges.
One major concern is whether SpaceX can develop and produce a fleet of auxiliary tanker spacecraft in time and successfully refuel Starship in orbit. The company needs to launch within a 26-month “launch window” to reach Mars efficiently. Currently, Starship has only demonstrated its ability to reach Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and lacks the fuel storage capacity for a Mars journey.
Spacex plans to use LEO tanker spacecraft to refuel Starship mid-flight, but this plan has yet to be demonstrated, and there’s no clear evidence that development is underway. The company faces uncertainty over manufacturing and launching enough tanker spacecraft in a short time frame, given the complexity of in-orbit refuelling.
Despite past successes with reusable rockets and space capsules, SpaceX’s Starship program still needs refinements before it can support a human mission. The company will attempt a surface landing on Mars, but lacks necessary features like retractable landing gear.
NASA officials are also concerned about potential conflicts of interest between SpaceX and the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), which Mr. Musk heads. A successful Mars landing would solidify SpaceX’s dominance in the space industry, but whether Elon Musk can overcome technical, logistical, and political challenges remains to be seen.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/what-is-the-status-of-the-spacex-mars-mission-explained/article69393215.ece