SpaceX signs deal to fly Italian experiments to Mars on Starship’s 1st commercial Red Planet flights

> The Italian Space Agency (known by its Italian acronym ASI), announced today (Aug. 7) that it has signed a deal to fly experiments on the first commercial Mars flights of SpaceX’s giant new Starship rocket.

> “The payloads will include, among other things, **a plant growth experiment, a meteorological monitoring station and a radiation sensor**,” ASI officials said in a statement today. “The goal is **to collect scientific data during the approximately six-month interplanetary flight phase that Starship will undertake from Earth to Mars and subsequently to the Martian surface.**”

> SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell celebrated the deal “Get on board! We are going to Mars! SpaceX is now offering Starship services to the Red Planet. We’re excited to work with the Italian Space Agency on this first-of-its-kind agreement.”