An artist's illustration of SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport leaving Earth to ferry colonists to Mars.

Meet SpaceX's Interplanetary Ship

SpaceX

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveiled the company's Interplanetary Transport System for Mars colonization and beyond on Sept. 27, 2016 at International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. You can read our full story here. See how it works in images.

SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System Preparing for Launch

SpaceX

The Interplanetary Transport System will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The entire system stands 400 feet (122 meters) tall. An uncrewed test mission could launch as early as 2018. You can read our full story here.

Beginning the Human Journey to Mars

SpaceX

Mars-bound passengers board a space capsule atop SpaceX's newly unveiled Interplanetary Transport System (ITS). You can read our full story here.

SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System Mission

SpaceX

This SpaceX graphic depicts the mission profile for the company's Interplanetary Transport System, a colony ship to fly 100 people to Mars at a time. You can read our full story here.

SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System Size Comparison

SpaceX

This SpaceX illustration shows how the private spaceflight company's giant rocket and ship for interplanetary spaceflight compares in size to other rockets. You can read our full story here.

SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System vs. Saturn V

SpaceX

This SpaceX graphic shows how the capabilities of the company's Interplanetary Transport for Mars stacks up to NASA's massive Saturn V moon rocket. You can read our full story here.

SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System Size

SpaceX

This SpaceX graphic gives a sense of size for the company's planned Interplanetary Transport System for Mars flights. The tiny white speck at bottom right represents a person. You can read our full story here.

SpaceX Booster for Interplanetary Transport System

SpaceX

A closeup look at the first-stage booster for SpaceX's planned Interplanetary Transport System, a colony ship for Mars exploration and beyond. You can read our full story here.

SpaceX Raptor Engine

SpaceX

A look at SpaceX's Raptor rocket engine. Forty-two Raptor engines will be used to launch the first-stage booster for SpaceX's Interplanetary Transport System. You can read our full story here.

SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System Ship and Booster

SpaceX

This SpaceX cutaway graphic shows a look at how the company's planned Interplanetary Transport System booster (left) and spaceship would look once combined for a trek to Mars. You can read our full story here.

Lifting Off

SpaceX

At liftoff, the ITS rocket booster will produce up to 128 meganewtons (28.8 million lbs.) of thrust.