Answer · confidence: partial

Which companies besides Mars One plan Mars trips, and will crews come home?

Research question: Which private companies or agencies besides Mars One have announced Mars crew plans, and have any of them said their crews would come home?

The records show SpaceX has announced crewed Mars plans, saying it intended to build a crewed base that it hoped would grow into a self-sufficient colony ¹, and it still expects Starship to carry payloads and crew to Mars at scale ¹³. Mars Society Germany, a society rather than a company, proposed a crewed mission of five people on a 1200-day mission using several launches of a heavy-lift rocket derived from the Ariane 5 ⁹. On returns, SpaceX's design envisioned refueling on Mars and then taking off for Earth, so the crew vehicle would not stay on Mars ⁵, and its 2017 plan said early cargo missions would set up equipment so later ships could refuel for the trip home ¹¹. The records do not show whether the Mars Society Germany proposal included a return plan, and SpaceX has not published technical plans for Mars life support or in-orbit refueling ⁴, so the answer on return plans is only partial; the newest fact is dated 2026-10-17 ¹³.

Checked 2026-10-18. Only documented and supported facts are used.

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Sources

[1] supported

SpaceX said it planned to build a crewed base on Mars that it hoped would grow into a self-sufficient colony.

"SpaceX has stated that it planned to build a crewed base on Mars which it hoped would grow into a self-sufficient colony ."

SpaceX Mars colonization program

[2] supported

SpaceX says Starship's design is driven by the requirement to be able to land crews on Mars.

"According to SpaceX, the design of Starship is driven by its requirement to be able to land crews on Mars, [ 404 ] : 120 though SpaceX has not published technical plans or designs about Starship's life support systems , radiation protection , docking system, or in-orbit refueling system for Mars."

SpaceX Starship

[3] supported

Musk said that if things went according to plan, SpaceX could launch people around 2024 with arrival in 2025, and that a crewed Mars mission would come no earlier than 2029.

"if things go according to plan, we should be able to launch people probably in 2024 with arrival in 2025."

SpaceX Mars colonization program

[4] supported

SpaceX has not published technical plans or designs for Starship's Mars life support, radiation protection, docking, or in-orbit refueling systems.

"though SpaceX has not published technical plans or designs about Starship's life support systems , radiation protection , docking system, or in-orbit refueling system for Mars."

SpaceX Starship

[5] supported

SpaceX's Starship design envisioned the spacecraft refueling on Mars and then taking off and returning to Earth, so the crew vehicle would not stay on Mars.

"This would refuel the Starship, which could take off and return to Earth."

SpaceX Mars colonization program

[6] supported

SpaceX's crewed Mars plans were revised so that returning humans to the Moon was prioritized.

"but the plan was revised to prioritize returning humans to the Moon"

SpaceX Starship

[7] supported

In 2017, SpaceX's presentation said two crew ships would follow the first two cargo missions, with crew flights targeted for 2024.

"Two cargo ships and two crew ships were then meant to follow in 2024."

In 2016 , SpaceX said it would land an uncrewed spacecraft on Mars as soon as 2018 . In 2017 , Musk moved the first cargo landings to 2022 . In 2024 , the target became 2026 . Now SpaceX says no earlier than 2028 . Across a decade , the pattern has b... (scienceblog.com, 2026-08)

[8] supported

SpaceX plans eventually to fly crewed missions to Mars, which depend on Starship orbital refueling.

"Eventually crewed missions to Mars. Without it those plans stay grounded."

SpaceX Sky - High Bets : $15 Billion on Starship and a $100 Billion Spaceport Test the Limits of Ambition (webpronews.com, 2026-09)

[9] supported

The Mars Society Germany proposed a crewed Mars mission using several launches of a heavy-lift rocket derived from the Ariane 5, for a crew of five on a 1200-day mission.

"Roughly five launches would be required to send a crew of five on a 1200-day mission, with a payload of 120,000 kg (260,000 lb)."

List of crewed Mars mission plans

[10] documented

SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy is described as intended to enable cost-effective delivery of cargo and people to the Moon and Mars.

"enable cost-effective delivery of cargo and people to the moon and Mars."

Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Open a Public Scoping Period, and Hold Public Scoping Meetings (Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration, 2024-05-10)

[11] supported

SpaceX's 2017 Mars plan said the early cargo missions would set up equipment so later ships could refuel for the return trip home.

"The next missions would establish power, mining and propellant-production equipment so later ships could refuel for the trip home."

[12] documented

The 2019 environmental assessment for Starship-Super Heavy at Kennedy Space Center assessed approximately 24 launches per year, including lunar and Mars missions and human spaceflight.

"The 2019 EA assessed approximately 24 Starship-Super Heavy launches per year, including lunar and Mars missions, satellite payload missions, and human spaceflight."

[13] supported

SpaceX expects its Starship to carry payloads and crew to Mars at scale.

"Starship is expected to carry payloads and crew to Mars at scale, and this required out-of-the-box thinking."

Why SpaceX Starship Falls Sideways Before Flipping Upright To Land (bgr.com, 2026-10)