According to a new agreement announced on Thursday, Elon Musk's SpaceX has agreed to carry Italian experimental equipment aboard its Starship giant rocket on future planned Mars missions. Italian Space Agency President Teodoro Valente excitedly stated on social media platform X: “Italy is going to Mars!” He revealed that these scientific experiments will travel to Mars aboard the first crewed Starship mission with customers, ushering in a new chapter in space exploration.

Despite recent setbacks in Starship testing, including a dramatic explosion that destroyed the spacecraft, Musk remains steadfast in his dream of colonizing Mars. The entrepreneur, known for his optimistic timelines, insists that the first Starship will launch next year. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell also announced this “first-of-its-kind” agreement with the Italian Space Agency, expressing anticipation for more collaboration opportunities in the future. She posted on X: “All aboard! We’re going to Mars! SpaceX now offers Starship service to the Red Planet.”

Starship, the world's largest and most powerful rocket at 403 feet (123 meters) tall, is designed to be fully reusable with a payload capacity of up to 150 metric tons. This collaboration with the Italian Space Agency undoubtedly adds new momentum to SpaceX's Mars exploration plans. Although Musk has had close ties with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and earlier this year the Italian government's cybersecurity agreement with Starlink faced criticism from opposition parties, these issues have not slowed SpaceX's progress in space exploration.