This is Optimus, the humanoid robot that Elon Musk will send to Mars in a few months.

It has the silhouette of a person, walks with smooth movements, and can already manipulate objects. It's Optimus, also known as Tesla Bot, the humanoid robot that will become the first android to set foot on Mars next year.

This is the robot that will travel to Mars.

This was announced this week by Elon Musk, the tycoon behind X, Tesla, and SpaceX. According to his plans, in 2026 Optimus will travel to the red planet in a Starship to perform tasks that, until now, we've only seen in science fiction: carrying objects, operating equipment, and, when the time comes, collaborating with the first human crews.

The robot has a battery inside similar to that of an electric car and a system that allows it to move like a human. It measures 1.73 meters and weighs 57 kilos. Its design is no coincidence: Musk wants robots to adapt to human environments, whether in factories on Earth or on the arid surfaces of Mars.

It's equipped with two-dimensional cameras, touch sensors in its hands, and a stabilizing mechanism in its legs that allows it to maintain balance. It also has a function to observe and copy human movements, thus facilitating the learning of new tasks and their subsequent autonomous execution.

Optimus's mission will be to perform in the harsh Martian conditions: low gravity, abrasive dust, and extreme temperatures. Its pioneering tests will be key to assessing its ability to assist future human settlers, whom Musk envisions establishing a permanent city on Mars by 2050.

However, the concept behind Optimus goes beyond Martian exploration. Elon Musk aspires to make it a product affordable enough to be mass-produced and marketed on Earth . A robot that can perform household chores and companionship. Its estimated price could be between $20,000 and $30,000.

Musk, a man with a plan

Behind the launch lies an even grander ambition. Musk has dreamed of making humanity a multi-planetary species for over two decades . Since founding SpaceX in 2002, his goal has been clear: to build a self-sufficient city on Mars by 2050.

The billionaire acknowledges that his goals are ambitious. Before taking Optimus to Mars, Starship will have to overcome several technical challenges. In its most recent tests, the ship has already achieved orbital flights and controlled landings, but it still faces problems that SpaceX is working to resolve, such as engine loss during takeoff and heat resistance during atmospheric reentry.

The goal is for Starship to be completely reusable, to drastically reduce the costs of space missions and accelerate the long-term colonization of Mars.

Meanwhile, Optimus will be tasked with paving the way. His mission will not only be technological, but also symbolic: representing the first step toward a robotic and human settlement on another planet. The history of space exploration thus adds a new chapter, where the lines between engineering and imagination become increasingly blurred.