Tesla Optimus is heading to Mars

Good morning, robotics enthusiasts. Elon Musk just announced that SpaceX will launch Tesla’s Optimus robot to Mars aboard Starship in 2026—paving the way for human landings a few years later.

As SpaceX reportedly develops domes and spacesuits for a future Martian colony, Optimus might get a head start on setting up camp before humans arrive. Wildly ambitious—or is life on Mars closer than we think?

In today’s robotics rundown:

• Tesla Optimus heading to Mars

• Figure’s high-volume humanoid factory

• The world’s strongest robotic arm

• China’s grand humanoid marathon

• Quick hits on other robotics news

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

SPACEX

🚀 Tesla Optimus heading to Mars

The Rundown: Elon Musk just announced on X an ambitious plan to send Tesla's Optimus humanoid to Mars by the end of 2026—with the mission slated to be carried out by SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket.

The details:

• Optimus will be key to Musk’s Mars colonization vision, as it could capture insights from the planet while serving as a test-bed for future missions.

• After sending Optimus, Musk anticipates that human landings on Mars could commence as early as 2029, although he considers 2031 a more likely timeline. 

• The robot will head to Mars on a full-assembled Starship, which stands nearly 124 meters tall as the largest launch vehicle ever built.

• It is designed to be fully reusable, which is essential for long-term space missions aimed at transporting humans and cargo to Mars and back.

Why it matters: Musk has said that his goal is to make it so that anyone can travel to Mars, if they would like, and eventually set up a self-sustaining civilization on the Red Planet. But the road is bumpy: SpaceX must first perfect its launch vehicle to ensure it doesn’t explode, as seen in test flights, before carrying Optimus or human passengers.

FIGURE

🔥 Figure’s high-volume humanoid factory

The Rundown: California-based robotics major Figure AI unveiled BotQ, its new manufacturing facility dedicated to producing 12,000 humanoids annually, with plans to scale up to 100,000 in the next four years.

The details:

• Figure’s engineering teams spent the last eight months designing BotQ with automation and high-volume manufacturing techniques.

• The company said it chose to bring the manufacturing of its humanoids in-house to ensure full control over the build process, quality, and efficiency.

• It switched from CNC machining to injection molding and diecasting—ensuring parts that once took a week to make now get prepped in 20 seconds.

• With this facility, Figure plans to speed up automation by using Figure 02 humanoids to build the next-gen Figure 03 robots.

Why it matters: Figure is employing several strategies—from software infrastructure to partnerships—to create a scalable manufacturing process that could give it a competitive edge. However, rivals are also moving fast—Agility Robotics produces 10,000 Digit humanoids annually, with several already deployed in Amazon facilities.

RISE ROBOTICS

💪🏽 The world’s strongest robotic arm

The Rundown: Rise Robotics’ Superjammer industrial robotic arm is set to claim a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s strongest non-hydraulic robot arm—lifting an astonishing 6,460 lb. (2,930 kg) some 5 meters off the ground.

The details:

• Unlike traditional hydraulic systems, the Superjammer uses Rise's proprietary Beltdraulic technology—a belt-and-pulley system powered by electric motors.  

• This innovative approach eliminates the need for energy-intensive hydraulic fluids, reducing emissions and energy consumption by 65% to 90%.

• The system is said to be 3x faster than hydraulics, offering precise control, minimal maintenance, and unmatched durability even in extreme conditions.

• The current world record is held by the Fanuc M-2000iA/2300, which hoisted approx. 2,300 kg using electronic gears, belts, and servos.

Why it matters: The Superjammer will showcase its power on March 20 at the Guinness World Records ceremony, marking a breakthrough in heavy machinery and robotics. The game-changer? It’s emissions-free and operates without petroleum-based hydraulic fluids—yet still outperforms conventional hydraulic systems.

BEIJING ROBOT HALF MARATHON

🏃🏻 China’s grand humanoid marathon

The Rundown: China is gearing up to host the world's first-ever robot half-marathon in Beijing on April 13, where humanoids from 20 international companies will compete alongside 12,000 human runners.  

The details:

• The event is designed to showcase robots’ speed, agility, and performance with the 21 km distance serving as a stress test for robotic hardware.

• Race rules are that humanoids must be capable of bipedal walking or running and cannot use wheels or other non-human mobility aids.

• The robots can be either semi-autonomous or fully autonomous and will compete on separate lanes secured with barriers to ensure safety.

• They can replace batteries or even switch out entirely in a relay format during the race; however, each robot replacement will incur a 10-minute penalty.

Why it matters: While humanoids aren’t typically designed for long-distance running, robots can nab prizes for best gait, most innovative design, and creativity. This event provides a way for companies like Unitree, Star 1, and Tiangong to push the limits of what their humanoids can do on a global stage, with future investors likely looking on.

QUICK HITS

📰 Everything else in robotics today

eVTOL company Joby Aviation is partnering with Virgin Atlantic to launch electric air taxis in the UK, offering short-haul flights for Virgin customers to and from the airport.

Shenzhen-based UBTECH launched its Tiangong Walker humanoid for research and education at RMB 299,000 ($42,310), with deliveries starting in the coming months.

Japanese researchers are investigating transporting AI-equipped swarm robots to the Moon to explore lava tubes by 2028.

French automaker Renault is testing a new driverless mini-bus in Barcelona after teaming up with autonomous vehicle company WeRide to make the prototype.

U.S. researchers are exploring how AI and a robot called Ruyi can improve caregiving and support for older adults with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Japanese researchers developed a self-contained, wireless microbot dubbed HB-3 that operates with “incredible precision” in tight, dangerous spaces.

Micropolis, a Dubai-based robotics company, raised $15.5M through its NYSE IPO for building autonomous mobile robots, including delivery and police patrol bots.

Polish researchers published a study exploring how humanoid robot supervisors are perceived as authority figures by human staff in the workforce.

Researchers in Munich created a new encyclopedia called the “Tree of Robots” designed to make learning about robotic systems and comparing them easier.

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Rowan, Jennifer, and Joey—The Rundown’s editorial team