60 year challenge for humanity: 1969 - Moon, 2029 - Mars

Today 50 years ago first humans - 2 out of 3 Apollo 11 crew members Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin - landed on the Moon. But since then the advancement of human space exploration has been slow. It changed only in recent years with the rise of private space companies, especially SpaceX with its determined focus on rocket reusability and colonization of Mars. Now we have a real chance to land first humans on Mars as soon as 10 years from now, maybe even sooner.

HD quality official renders of SpaceX Starship at Mars Base Alpha and on the Moon

In April Elon Musk on his Twitter profile teased two new renders with SpaceX's Starship on the Moon and at Mars Base Alpha. Unfortunately those were low resolution images. Now we have a HD resolution versions (press Open link in new tab to view) of those renders from SpaceX's Principal Mars Development Engineer Paul Wooster's presentation at Humans to Mars summit 2019 organized by Explore Mars.

Saturn V and SpaceX Starship at launch pad by Gravitation Innovation

Today 50 years ago the most powerful rocket ever built - Saturn V - launched first astronauts to set foot on the Moon. But right now the leading NewSpace company SpaceX is building even more powerful rocket for Mars - Starship & Super Heavy. SpaceX is hoping it to be operational in 2021.

Here is a poster by Gravitation Innovation with Saturn V and SpaceX Starship at launch pad. Note the Starship is at front so it appears a lot bigger than Saturn V at back. In reality the difference in height is minimal with Saturn V being 111 m high and Starship & Super Heavy at 118 m by current design which is subject to change.

SpaceX Starship at Moon Base Alpha by Sam Taylor

Picture of the Day 3/6/2019 - Poster of a dozen starmen (with white&black suits) & starwomen (with white&pink suits) working around SpaceX's Starship at Moon Base Alpha by digital artist Sam Taylor. More of his art here.

New engine bay of SpaceX Starship by Kimi Talvitie

Finnish 3D artist Kimi Talvitie has made a model of possible new configuration of SpaceX's Starship engine bay with 3 vacuum optimized Raptors and 3 sea level optimized Raptors (news recently revealed by Elon Musk). More of Kimi's art on his Twitter account.

SpaceX Super Heavy Starship with additional two side boosters

SpaceX's Super Heavy Starship version with additional two side boosters (a configuration like that of Falcon Heavy). This was put together by Reddit user LargeMonty from the Starship renders by Finnish 3D artist Kimi Talvitie.

SpaceX Super Heavy Starship launching from Earth

Picture of the Day 15/5/2019 - Render of SpaceX's Super Heavy Starship launching from Earth by Reddit user Leonidass.

SpaceX Super Heavy cargo Starship by Mack Crawford

Picture of the Day 11/5/2019 - Launch of SpaceX's full stack cargo Starship & Super Heavy by digital artist Mack Crawford (brickmack). More of his space concept art here.

Shiny SpaceX Starship renders by Sam Taylor

Digital artist Sam Taylor has created a pair of shiny render images of SpaceX's stainless steel Starship in space. More of his art here.

New official renders of SpaceX Starship on the Moon & at Mars Base Alpha

Today Elon Musk revealed on his Twitter two more renders of SpaceX's Starship on the Moon and at Mars Base Alpha:

SpaceX Starship on launch pad by William Falconer-Beach

Picture of the Day 16/4/2019 - SpaceX's stainless steel Starship on launch pad by William Falconer-Beach. More of his Starship renders here.

SpaceX Starship arriving to Mars

Picture of the Day 13/4/2019 - Fan version of SpaceX's stainless steel Starship (with different configuration of windows) arriving to Mars by Reddit user lmg1114.

(Open link in new tab to view ⇩ in full resolution)

SpaceX Starship & Super Heavy in hangar by Charlie Burgess

SpaceX's full stack Starship & Super Heavy waiting for roll-out in a hangar by British digital artist Charlie Burgess. More of his art here.

First official HQ render of SpaceX stainless steel Starship

On the cover of Popular Mechanic’s April 2019 issue there is the first official HQ render of SpaceX's stainless steel Starship, showing the next-generation spaceship reentering Earth’s atmosphere in a blaze of glowing metal and plasma. The image was obtained by Teslarati.

A few days ago during a visit to Doyle Ryder Elementary school in Flint, Michigan, Elon Musk teased a video showing the Starship landing at Mars Base Alpha.

Development phases of SpaceX Starship by Colin Doublier

Sketch of the development phases of SpaceX's Starship by French urban artist Colin Doublier. More of his art here.

SpaceX #dearMoon Starship orbiting the Moon by Gravitation Innovation

Picture of the Day 19/3/2019 - SpaceX #dearMoon Starship orbiting the Moon by Gravitation Innovation.

SpaceX Starship at launch pad by Gravitation Innovation

Impressive concept images of SpaceX's stainless steel Starship at launch pad by Gravitation Innovation.

Dawn of a new Space Age

Photo of SpaceX's Starhopper at sunset by Jaime Almaguer. The Starhopper (test vehicle of SpaceX's stainless steel Starship) is currently being built in SpaceX's Boca Chica launch facility in South Texas and scheduled to fly first test flights in March/April 2019.

SpaceX Starship at Mars Base Alpha by Gravitation Innovation

Picture of the Day 3/3/2019 - SpaceX's stainless steel Starship, Starman and Tesla Roadster at Mars Base Alpha by Gravitation Innovation.

SpaceX Starship on a landing pad on Mars by Charlie Burgess

Picture of the Day 28/2/2019 - SpaceX's stainless steel Starship on a landing pad on Mars by British digital artist Charlie Burgess. More of his art here.