Moscow, March 16, 2025 – The Europe Today: Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Sovereign Wealth Fund and chief economic envoy in US-Russia talks, has proposed a historic US-Russia partnership for Mars exploration to SpaceX founder Elon Musk. In a post on X on Saturday, Dmitriev emphasized the significance of space collaboration between the two countries, stating that it would be a step forward “for the glory of humanity.”
Dmitriev’s proposal came in response to Musk’s announcement of a planned Mars mission in 2026. Musk revealed that SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft is scheduled to launch for Mars next year, carrying a Tesla humanoid bot named Optimus. He further indicated that human landings on Mars could commence as early as 2029.
In his message, Dmitriev suggested that 2029 could mark a joint US-Russia mission to Mars, reminiscent of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project—an iconic crewed international space mission carried out jointly by the US and the Soviet Union in 1975. “Shall 2029 be the year of a joint US-Russia mission to Mars, @elonmusk? Our minds & technology should serve the glory of humanity, not its destruction,” Dmitriev wrote.
Musk has yet to respond publicly to the proposal, but the idea has garnered widespread support from users on X.
The proposal comes at a time when relations between Washington and Moscow are showing signs of improvement, following years of tension over the Ukraine conflict. Last month, Dmitriev participated in high-level US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, marking the first direct diplomatic contact between the two nations since 2022. Both sides expressed readiness to resume economic and diplomatic cooperation and work together toward resolving the Ukraine conflict.
Despite ongoing political challenges and Western sanctions on Russia, space cooperation between NASA and Roscosmos has continued. Recently, the two agencies extended their agreement on cross-flights to the International Space Station through 2026.
In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed support for domestic companies collaborating with Musk, especially after the billionaire shifted his focus from government reform to scientific endeavors. Since his return to office, US President Donald Trump has appointed Musk as an adviser to the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE), with the mission to reduce wasteful spending and bureaucratic inefficiency in the US government.
