Hubbry Logo
SpaceX Starship design historySpaceX Starship design historyMain
Open search
SpaceX Starship design history
Community hub
SpaceX Starship design history
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
SpaceX Starship design history
SpaceX Starship design history
SpaceX Starship design history
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Before settling on the 2018 Starship design, SpaceX successively presented a number of reusable super-heavy lift vehicle proposals.[1][2] These preliminary spacecraft designs were known under various names (Mars Colonial Transporter, Interplanetary Transport System, BFR).

In November 2005,[3] before SpaceX had launched its first rocket, the Falcon 1,[4] CEO Elon Musk first mentioned a high-capacity rocket concept able to launch 100 t (220,000 lb) to low Earth orbit, dubbed the BFR.[3] Later in 2012, Elon Musk first publicly announced plans to develop a rocket surpassing the capabilities of the existing Falcon 9.[5] SpaceX called it the Mars Colonial Transporter, as the rocket was to transport humans to Mars and back.[6] In 2016, the name was changed to Interplanetary Transport System, as the rocket was planned to travel beyond Mars as well.[7] The design called for a carbon fiber structure,[8] a mass in excess of 10,000 t (22,000,000 lb) when fully-fueled, a payload of 300 t (660,000 lb) to low Earth orbit while being fully reusable.[8] By 2017, the concept was temporarily re-dubbed the BFR.[9]

In December 2018, the structural material was changed from carbon composites[10][8] to stainless steel,[11][12] marking the transition from early design concepts of the Starship.[11][13][14] Musk cited numerous reasons for the design change; low cost, ease of manufacture, increased strength of stainless steel at cryogenic temperatures, and ability to withstand high temperatures.[15][13] In 2019, SpaceX began to refer to the entire vehicle as Starship, with the second stage being called Starship and the booster Super Heavy.[16][17][18] They also announced that Starship would use reusable heat shield tiles similar to those of the Space Shuttle.[19][20] The second-stage design had also settled on six Raptor engines by 2019; three optimized for sea-level and three optimized for vacuum.[21][22] In 2019 SpaceX announced a change to the second stage's design, reducing the number of aft flaps from three to two to reduce weight.[23] In March 2020, SpaceX released a Starship Users Guide, in which they stated the payload of Starship to low Earth orbit (LEO) would be in excess of 100 t (220,000 lb), with a payload to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) of 21 t (46,000 lb).[24]

Early heavy-lift concepts

[edit]

In November 2005,[3] before SpaceX launched the Falcon 1, its first rocket,[4] CEO Elon Musk first referenced a long-term and high-capacity rocket concept named BFR. The BFR would be able to launch 100 t (220,000 lb) to LEO and would be equipped with Merlin 2 engines. The Merlin 2 would have been in direct lineage to the Merlin engines used on the Falcon 9, described as a scaled up regeneratively cooled engine comparable to the F-1 engines used on the Saturn V.[3]

In July 2010,[25] after the final launch of Falcon 1 a year prior,[26] SpaceX presented launch vehicle and Mars space tug concepts at a conference. The launch vehicle concepts were called Falcon X (later named Falcon 9), Falcon X Heavy (later named Falcon Heavy), and Falcon XX (later named Starship); the largest of all was the Falcon XX with a 140 t (310,000 lb) capacity to low Earth orbit. To deliver such payload, the rocket would have been as tall as the Saturn V and use six powerful Merlin 2 engines.[25]

Mars Colonial Transporter

[edit]

In October 2012, the company made the first public articulation of plans to develop a fully reusable rocket system with substantially greater capabilities than SpaceX's existing Falcon 9.[27] Later in 2012,[28] the company first mentioned the Mars Colonial Transporter rocket concept in public. It was going to be able to carry 100 people or 100 t (220,000 lb) of cargo to Mars and would be powered by methane-fueled Raptor engines.[29] Musk referred to this new launch vehicle under the unspecified acronym "MCT",[27] revealed to stand for "Mars Colonial Transporter" in 2013,[30] which would serve the company's Mars system architecture.[31] SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell gave a potential payload range between 150–200 tons to low Earth orbit for the planned rocket.[27] For Mars missions, the spacecraft would carry up to 100 tonnes (220,000 lb) of passengers and cargo.[32] According to SpaceX engine development head Tom Mueller, SpaceX could use nine Raptor engines on a single MCT booster or spacecraft.[33][34] The preliminary design would be at least 10 meters (33 ft) in diameter, and was expected to have up to three cores totaling at least 27 booster engines.[31]

Interplanetary Transport System

[edit]
Main article: ITS launch vehicle
White sleek rocket in flight
SpaceX illustration of the 2016 Interplanetary Transport System

In 2016, the name of the Mars Colonial Transporter system was changed to the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS), due to the vehicle being capable of other destinations.[35] Additionally, Elon Musk provided more details about the space mission architecture, launch vehicle, spacecraft, and Raptor engines. The first test firing of a Raptor engine on a test stand took place in September 2016.[36][37]

On September 26, 2016, a day before the 67th International Astronautical Congress, a Raptor engine fired for the first time.[38] At the event, Musk announced SpaceX was developing a new rocket using Raptor engines called the Interplanetary Transport System. It would have two stages, a reusable booster and spacecraft. The stages' tanks were to be made from carbon composite, storing liquid methane and liquid oxygen. Despite the rocket's 300 t (660,000 lb) launch capacity to low Earth orbit, it was expected to have a low launch price. The spacecraft featured three variants: crew, cargo, and tanker; the tanker variant is used to transfer propellant to spacecraft in orbit.[39] The concept, especially the technological feats required to make such a system possible and the funds needed, garnered substantial skepticism.[40] Both stages would use autogenous pressurization of the propellant tanks, eliminating the Falcon 9's problematic high-pressure helium pressurization system.[41][42][36]

In October 2016, Musk indicated that the initial tank test article, made of carbon-fiber pre-preg, and built with no sealing liner, had performed well in cryogenic fluid testing. A pressure test at about 2/3 of the design burst pressure was completed in November 2016.[43] In July 2017, Musk indicated that the architecture design had evolved since 2016 in order to support commercial transport via Earth-orbit and cislunar launches.[44]

2016 artist's concept of the ITS booster returning to the launch pad

The ITS booster was to be a 12 m-diameter (39 ft), 77.5 m-high (254 ft), reusable first stage powered by 42 engines, each producing 3,024 kilonewtons (680,000 lbf) of thrust. Total booster thrust would have been 128 MN (29,000,000 lbf) at liftoff, increasing to 138 MN (31,000,000 lbf) in a vacuum,[45] several times the 36 MN (8,000,000 lbf) thrust of the Saturn V.[41] It weighed 275 tonnes (606,000 lb) when empty and 6,700 tonnes (14,800,000 lb) when completely filled with propellant. It would have used grid fins to help guide the booster through the atmosphere for a precise landing.[45] The engine configuration included 21 engines in an outer ring and 14 in an inner ring. The center cluster of seven engines would be able to gimbal for directional control, although some directional control would be achieved via differential thrust with the fixed engines. Each engine would be capable of throttling between 20 and 100 percent of rated thrust.[42]

The design goal was to achieve a separation velocity of about 8,650 km/h (5,370 mph) while retaining about 7% of the initial propellant to achieve a vertical landing at the launch pad.[42][46]The design called for grid fins to guide the booster during atmospheric reentry.[42] The booster return flights were expected to encounter loads lower than the Falcon 9, principally because the ITS would have both a lower mass ratio and a lower density.[47] The booster was to be designed for 20 g nominal loads, and possibly as high as 30–40 g.[47]

In contrast to the landing approach used on SpaceX's Falcon 9—either a large, flat concrete pad or downrange floating landing platform, the ITS booster was to be designed to land on the launch mount itself, for immediate refueling and relaunch.[42]

2016 artist concept of the ITS Interplanetary Spaceship, in orbit near the rings of Saturn

The ITS second stage was planned to be used for long-duration spaceflight, instead of solely being used for reaching orbit. The two proposed variants aimed to be reusable.[41] Its maximum width would be 17 m (56 ft), with three sea level Raptor engines, and six optimized for vacuum firing. Total engine thrust in a vacuum was to be about 31 MN (7,000,000 lbf).[48]

  • The Interplanetary Spaceship would have operated as a second-stage and interplanetary transport vehicle for cargo and passengers. It aimed to transport up to 450 tonnes (990,000 lb) per trip to Mars following refueling in Earth orbit.[41] Its three sea-level Raptor engines were designed to be used for maneuvering, descent, landing, and initial ascent from the Mars surface.[41] It would have had a maximum capacity of 1,950 tonnes (4,300,000 lb) of propellant, and a dry mass of 150 tonnes (330,000 lb).[48]
  • The ITS tanker would serve as a propellant tanker, transporting up to 380 tonnes (840,000 lb) of propellants to low Earth orbit in a single launch. After refueling operations, it would land and be prepared for another flight.[49] It had a maximum capacity of 2,500 tonnes (5,500,000 lb) of propellant and had a dry mass of 90 tonnes (200,000 lb).[48]

Big Falcon Rocket

[edit]
2018 artist's conception of the redesigned BFR/Starship at stage separation

In September 2017, at the 68th annual meeting of the International Astronautical Congress, Musk announced a new launch vehicle calling it the BFR, again changing the name, though stating that the name was temporary.[9] The acronym was alternatively stated as standing for Big Falcon Rocket or Big Fucking Rocket, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the BFG from the Doom video game series.[32] Musk foresaw the first two cargo missions to Mars as early as 2022,[50] with the goal to "confirm water resources and identify hazards" while deploying "power, mining, and life support infrastructure" for future flights. This would be followed by four ships in 2024, two crewed BFR spaceships plus two cargo-only ships carrying equipment and supplies for a propellant plant.[9]

The design balanced objectives such as payload mass, landing capabilities, and reliability. The initial design showed the ship with six Raptor engines (two sea-level, four vacuum) down from nine in the previous ITS design.[9]

By September 2017, Raptors had been test-fired for a combined total of 20 minutes across 42 test cycles. The longest test was 100 seconds, limited by the size of the propellant tanks. The test engine operated at 20 MPa (200 bar; 2,900 psi). The flight engine aimed for 25 MPa (250 bar; 3,600 psi), on the way to 30 MPa (300 bar; 4,400 psi) in later iterations.[9] In November 2017, Shotwell indicated that about half of all development work on BFR was focused on the engine.[51]

SpaceX looked for manufacturing sites in California, Texas, Louisiana,[52] and Florida.[53] By September 2017, SpaceX had started building launch vehicle components: "The tooling for the main tanks has been ordered, the facility is being built, we will start construction of the first ship [in the second quarter of 2018.]"[9]

By early 2018, the first carbon composite prototype ship was under construction, and SpaceX had begun building a new production facility at the Port of Los Angeles, California.[54]

In March, SpaceX announced that it would manufacture its launch vehicle and spaceship at a new facility on Seaside Drive at the port.[55][56][57] By May, about 40 SpaceX employees were working on the BFR.[52] SpaceX planned to transport the launch vehicle by barge, through the Panama Canal, to Cape Canaveral for launch.[52] Since then, the company has terminated the agreements to do this.

In August 2018, the head of the US Air Force Air Mobility Command expressed interest in the ability of the BFR to move up to 150 t (330,000 lb) of cargo anywhere in the world in under 30 minutes, for "less than the cost of a C-5".[58][59]

The BFR was designed to be 106 meters (348 ft) tall, 9 meters (30 ft) in diameter, and made of carbon composites.[50][60] The upper stage, known as Big Falcon Ship (BFS), included a small delta wing at the rear end with split flaps for pitch and roll control. The delta wing and split flaps were said to expand the flight envelope to allow the ship to land in a variety of atmospheric densities (vacuum, thin, or heavy atmosphere) with a wide range of payloads.[50][9]: 18:05–19:25  The BFS design originally had six Raptor engines, with four vacuum and two sea-level. By late 2017, SpaceX added a third sea-level engine (totaling 7) to allow greater Earth-to-Earth payload landings and still ensure capability if one of the engines fails.[61][a]

Three BFS versions were described: BFS cargo, BFS tanker, and BFS crew. The cargo version would have been used to reach Earth orbit[50] as well as carry cargo to the Moon or Mars. After refueling in an elliptical Earth orbit, BFS was designed to eventually be able to land on the Moon and return to Earth without another refueling.[50][9]: 31:50  The BFR also aimed to carry passengers/cargo in Earth-to-Earth transport, delivering its payload anywhere within 90 minutes.[50]

Changes to early Starship design

[edit]

In December 2018, the structural material was changed from carbon composites[42][41] to stainless steel,[11][12] marking the transition from early design concepts of the Starship.[11][13][14] Musk cited numerous reasons for the design change; low cost and ease of manufacture, increased strength of stainless steel at cryogenic temperatures, as well as its ability to withstand high heat.[15][13] The high temperature at which 300-series steel transitions to plastic deformation would eliminate the need for a heat shield on Starship's leeward side, while the much hotter windward side would be cooled by allowing fuel or water to bleed through micropores in a double-wall stainless steel skin, removing heat by evaporation. The liquid-cooled windward side was changed in 2019 to use reusable heat shield tiles similar to those of the Space Shuttle.[19][20]

In 2019, SpaceX began to refer to the entire vehicle as Starship, with the second stage being called Starship and the booster Super Heavy.[16][17][62][63] In September 2019, Musk held an event about Starship development during which he further detailed the lower-stage booster, the upper-stage's method of controlling its descent, the heat shield, orbital refueling capacity, and potential destinations besides Mars.[21][22][23]

Over the years of design, the proportion of sea-level engines to vacuum engines on the second stage varied drastically. By 2019, the second stage design had settled on six Raptor engines—three optimized for sea-level and three optimized for vacuum.[21][22] To decrease weight, aft flaps on the second stage were reduced from three to two.[23] Later in 2019, Musk stated that Starship was expected to have a mass of 120,000 kg (260,000 lb) and be able to initially transport a payload of 100,000 kg (220,000 lb), growing to 150,000 kg (330,000 lb) over time. Musk hinted at an expendable variant that could place 250 tonnes into low orbit.[64]

One possible future use of Starship that SpaceX has proposed is point-to-point flights (called "Earth to Earth" flights by SpaceX), traveling anywhere on Earth in under an hour.[65] In 2017 SpaceX president and chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell stated that point-to-point travel with passengers could become cost competitive with conventional business class flights.[66] John Logsdon, an academic on space policy and history, said that the idea of transporting passengers in this manner was "extremely unrealistic", as the craft would switch between weightlessness to 5 g of acceleration.[67] He also commented that “Musk calls all of this ‘aspirational,’ which is a nice code word for more than likely not achievable.”[67]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

SpaceX Starship design history

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The SpaceX Starship design history traces the development of a fully reusable intended for Earth orbit, lunar missions, and Mars colonization. It evolved from ambitious conceptual proposals in 2016 through , material innovations, and iterative to achieve partial reusability by 2025. Initial concepts emerged in 2016 with the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS), a massive architecture featuring a 12-meter (scalable to 17 meters), 122-meter , nine Raptor engines per , and a capacity of up to 550 metric tons to , emphasizing methane-fueled propulsion and orbital refueling for Mars missions. By 2017, the design scaled down to the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), reducing the to 9 meters, to 106 meters, and to 150-250 tons, while incorporating four landing legs and retaining full reusability goals. In 2018, renamed it and shifted to construction for its strength-to-weight ratio, heat resistance, and low cost—replacing earlier carbon fiber plans—alongside refinements like seven Raptor engines on the upper and a total of 118 meters. Prototype development accelerated in 2019 with Starhopper, a 20-meter test vehicle that achieved 150-meter hops using a single Raptor engine, validating basic flight controls and . Subsequent (MK1) and Serial Number (SN) prototypes from 2019-2021 iterated on cryogenic testing, engine configurations (up to three Raptors), wing and flap designs for atmospheric reentry, and landing legs, culminating in SN15's successful 10-kilometer hop and in May 2021. By 2022, focus shifted to orbital-class vehicles like Ship 20-24 and Booster 7-9, incorporating hot staging separation, upgraded Raptor 2 engines with improved thrust vector control, and initial tiles for reentry protection. The program's first integrated flight tests began in 2023, marking a transition to full-stack operations with the 70-meter Super Heavy booster (33 Raptors) and 50-meter upper (six Raptors), both 9 meters in diameter. Flight 1 on April 20 exploded four minutes after launch due to issues, but cleared the pad; Flight 2 on achieved separation via hot staging before the upper disintegrated during reentry. These tests drove infrastructure upgrades, including a reinforced with a water-cooled deflector and expanded production facilities like the Starfactory. In 2024, four additional flights advanced reusability: Flight 3 (March 14) reached orbital velocity and coasted in space before the upper stage lost attitude control and disintegrated during reentry; Flight 4 (June 6) achieved controlled for both stages; Flight 5 (October 13) achieved the first catch of the Super Heavy booster using the launch tower arms; and Flight 6 (November 19) achieved successful reentry and of the upper stage in the , with the booster soft-landing in the . Design evolutions included Block 2 vehicles with extended propellant tanks for greater range, forward-shifted and reinforced flaps for better , enhanced structural integrity, and an upgraded with thousands more tiles and ablative materials. Block 2 debuted with Flight 7 in 2025. Infrastructure expanded with a second at Starbase and cryogenic testing stands. By November 2025, the program had conducted 11 integrated flight tests since 2023, aiming for increased flight cadence toward 25 launches annually in future years. In 2025, Flight 7 (January 16) repeated a successful booster catch but lost the upper stage during ascent; Flight 8 (March 6) caught the booster but the upper stage exploded midflight; Flight 9 (May 27) featured a flight-proven booster but the upper stage lost attitude control during reentry; Flights 10 and 11 (through October 13) continued testing with further refinements. Preparations advanced for Block 3—featuring further tank extensions, Raptor 3 engines, upgraded avionics and energy storage for extended missions, and an improved payload compartment optimized for deploying larger next-gen Starlink V3 satellites (adding 20x more capacity per launch than Falcon 9)—targeting over 150 tons to low Earth orbit. These iterations positioned Starship for NASA's Artemis III lunar landing in 2027, emphasizing rapid testing to refine full reusability and interplanetary capabilities.

Pre-Starship Concepts (2005–2016)

Early Heavy-Lift Proposals

SpaceX's exploration of super-heavy lift capabilities commenced in 2005 with the announcement of the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), envisioned as a major advancement beyond the initial family. This conceptual vehicle aimed to achieve a capacity of 100 metric tons to (LEO), positioning it as a competitor to NASA's shuttle-derived heavy-lift concepts of the era. The BFR was planned to incorporate multiple Merlin 2 engines, a significantly scaled-up iteration of the Merlin 1 featuring to enhance thrust and efficiency, with each engine targeted to produce 1.5 million pounds of thrust at . Although detailed structural specifications remained preliminary, the design emphasized a reusable first stage, aligning with SpaceX's foundational goal of recovering and refurbishing launch hardware to reduce costs, as articulated in contemporaneous announcements for the broader lineup. By 2010, had evolved these ideas into the Falcon XX concept, an extension of the architecture tailored for even greater lift capacity. The Falcon XX targeted 140 metric tons to LEO, representing a substantial leap from the 's 10-ton baseline and the Falcon Heavy's projected 30 tons, while serving as a bridge toward ultra-heavy applications without immediate full reusability mandates. This proposal retained reliance on advanced engines, potentially including Merlin 2 variants for higher , and featured a configuration optimized for engine-out capability in earlier stages to ensure reliability during ascent. Conceptual sketches and payload estimates from this period highlighted modular staging and parallel booster arrangements, drawing directly from 's proven nine-engine cluster to scale up performance while minimizing development risks. These early heavy-lift proposals were deeply influenced by SpaceX's persistent pursuit of reusability, which originated in the company's 2002 founding principles and gained tangible momentum through vertical takeoff and landing (VTVL) experiments. The Grasshopper test vehicle, operational from 2012 to 2013, demonstrated controlled hovers and descents up to 744 meters, validating propulsion and guidance systems essential for first-stage recovery in heavy-lift designs. These efforts underscored a design philosophy prioritizing propulsive landings over parachutes, laying conceptual groundwork for future architectures, including the eventual integration of more powerful engines like the Raptor.

Mars Colonial Transporter (MCT)

The Mars Colonial Transporter (MCT) represented SpaceX's initial foray into designing a dedicated interplanetary vehicle, announced by in November 2012 during a at the Royal Aeronautical Society in . The concept envisioned a fully reusable, two-stage system capable of delivering 100 metric tons of to the surface of Mars, with an estimated () capacity of 150–200 metric tons. This design aimed to enable the establishment of a self-sustaining human colony on Mars by addressing the challenges of long-duration and surface operations, building on scalability concepts from the family of . Central to the MCT was the debut of the Raptor engine, a methane-fueled, full-flow intended for both stages. (CH4) was selected as the fuel due to its potential for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) on Mars, allowing production from local and water ice, while the full-flow cycle promised higher efficiency and reusability compared to traditional engines. Initial specifications targeted approximately 3,000 kN (about 300 metric tons-force) of thrust per engine at , with variants optimized for operations to support the vehicle's interplanetary transit. The MCT's architecture incorporated innovative staging and refueling strategies to achieve its Mars goals, including orbital transfer from dedicated tanker variants to enable efficient trans-Mars injection burns. The vehicle was planned to use lightweight carbon composite structures for both the booster and upper stage (the "ship"), emphasizing rapid reusability and cost reduction through vertical landing capabilities similar to those being developed for Falcon 9. These elements were designed to minimize the number of launches required for a Mars mission, with the ship docking in for refueling before departure. From 2013 to 2016, the MCT concept evolved amid ongoing studies and preliminary development, with LEO payload capacity increasing to over 200 metric tons through refinements in engine clustering and structural efficiency. By mid-decade, the upper stage was configured with nine Raptor engines—three sea-level optimized for landing and six vacuum-optimized for space operations—to enhance thrust-to-weight ratios and mission flexibility. However, following the June 2015 explosion and subsequent grounding, deprioritized the MCT in favor of near-term commercial and crewed missions, leading to a conceptual overhaul announced in 2016.

Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) (2016–2017)

ITS Design Features

The Interplanetary Transport System (ITS), unveiled by CEO at the in Guadalajara, , on September 27, 2016, represented a significant evolution from earlier concepts like the Mars Colonial Transporter, emphasizing massive scale for interplanetary travel. The design featured a reusable booster capable of delivering 300 metric tons to , with the full stack standing approximately 122 meters tall and the booster itself at 12 meters in diameter. The upper stage, or spaceship, measured about 50 meters in height, 17 meters in diameter (compared to the booster's 12 meters), emphasizing scalability for interplanetary payloads, and was powered by nine Raptor engines (three sea-level optimized and six vacuum-optimized), while the booster employed 42 sea-level optimized Raptor engines. The ITS prioritized lightweight construction using carbon fiber composites for both the booster and spaceship tanks to minimize dry mass while supporting high propellant loads. The upper stage incorporated a tripropellant configuration, combining and for the main tanks with hydrogen injection in the upper section of the engine nozzle to achieve higher for trans-Mars injection burns. This setup allowed the spaceship to carry roughly 1,000 metric tons of , enabling extended missions beyond Earth orbit. To support Mars transfers, the ITS relied on in-orbit refueling via a dedicated fleet of autonomous tanker variants, each launched by the same booster and capable of docking with the spaceship to transfer . Autonomous docking systems were integral for these operations, facilitating precise delivery without crew intervention during uncrewed phases. Performance targets included delivering 100 metric tons of to the Mars surface per mission, with an initial uncrewed landing aimed for 2024 to validate the architecture ahead of crewed flights.

Initial Development and Engine Testing

The initial development of the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) in 2016–2017 emphasized rapid prototyping and engine validation to demonstrate the feasibility of its ambitious scale, which envisioned a fully reusable architecture capable of transporting over 100 passengers to Mars. Early efforts centered on the Raptor engine, a methane-fueled, full-flow staged combustion design intended to power both stages with high efficiency and reusability. On September 25, 2016, conducted the first test firing of a subscale Raptor prototype at its facility, successfully demonstrating ignition and stable operation of the full-flow cycle for a brief duration. This milestone confirmed the engine's core and combustion architecture using liquid methane and , producing approximately 1,000 kN of in a test that lasted several seconds. The full-scale Raptor was targeted for approximately 3,000 kN (300 metric tons-force) of sea-level at that stage, though subsequent iterations increased this further to meet ITS performance needs. Throughout 2017, advanced Raptor development through intensive subscale hot-fire testing at McGregor, accumulating 1,200 seconds of runtime across 42 firings by September. These tests iteratively addressed combustion instability challenges, a common hurdle in full-flow engines due to the dual preburners and complex ; engineers refined patterns, chamber geometries, and acoustic damping to achieve reliable, high-pressure burns without destructive oscillations. Parallel to engine work, built early ITS mockups at its headquarters, including carbon-fiber composite tank prototypes designed for cryogenic storage of and oxygen propellants. These structures, scaled to match the ITS's 12-meter , underwent proof-pressure and leak testing to validate lightweight materials capable of withstanding launch loads while minimizing mass for interplanetary missions. Key challenges during this phase included mitigating propellant slosh in the oversized tanks, which could induce structural vibrations during ascent; SpaceX incorporated baffles and anti-slosh devices in prototypes to dampen fluid motion under acceleration. For the upper stage, vacuum-optimized Raptor nozzles were prototyped with extended bells to maximize in space, requiring careful design to prevent overexpansion and thermal stresses during atmospheric reentry.

Big Falcon Rocket (BFR) (2017–2018)

BFR Introduction and Specifications

In September 2017, announced the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), a scaled-down evolution of the earlier Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) designed for improved manufacturability and broader utility. The BFR featured a 9-meter , reduced from the ITS's 12 meters, and a stacked height of 106 meters. It was projected to deliver 150 metric tons to (LEO) in fully reusable configuration, with up to 250 metric tons possible in expendable mode. The BFR's architecture centered on methane-liquid oxygen (methalox) propulsion using Raptor engines, eliminating to simplify operations and enable in-situ utilization on Mars. The booster stage was equipped with 31 sea-level Raptor engines for launch, while the upper stage, or spaceship, utilized 7 Raptors: 3 sea-level variants for atmospheric operations and landing, and 4 vacuum-optimized engines for spaceflight. This configuration supported orbital refueling, with multiple tanker flights enabling the spaceship to carry over 100 passengers on interplanetary journeys. Beyond Mars colonization, the BFR was envisioned as a multi-role vehicle for Earth point-to-point suborbital travel, allowing global trips in under an hour, as well as lunar missions and deployments. For Mars, SpaceX targeted uncrewed cargo missions in 2022 to scout resources and establish infrastructure, followed by crewed flights in 2024 to initiate a self-sustaining presence. These ambitions underscored the BFR's shift toward versatile, fully reusable transportation to make humanity multiplanetary.

Key Refinements from ITS

The Big Falcon Rocket (BFR) introduced several targeted refinements to the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) design in 2017–2018, prioritizing , feasibility, and operational reliability while maintaining interplanetary ambitions. A primary modification was the reduction in vehicle diameter from 12 m to 9 m, which enabled production within SpaceX's existing facilities at , and significantly lowered structural mass to make development more economically viable. Propulsion architecture retained the all-methane/oxygen (methalox) configuration using Raptor engines exclusively from the ITS, which streamlined fueling logistics and boosted engine thrust to approximately 2,000 kN per unit through full-flow staged combustion optimizations. Reusability features were advanced with the addition of header tanks in the structure to enable controlled burns without main tank settling, and integrated for automated, high-precision operations that supported rapid turnaround—potentially within hours—between launches and recoveries. At the September 2018 , iterative updates further elevated performance by increasing the ship's Raptor count to 9 (three sea-level and six vacuum-optimized), while the booster retained 31 engines, enhancing overall for improved margins and mission flexibility.

Transition to Starship (2018–2019)

Material and Structural Shifts

In late , announced a major pivot in the structural design of its Big Falcon Rocket (BFR) system, transitioning from carbon fiber composites to as the primary construction material. This decision was announced by via in December and detailed in a subsequent reveal event, fundamentally altering the vehicle's architecture by prioritizing manufacturability, durability, and cost efficiency over the lightweight properties of composites. Musk emphasized stainless steel's advantages for rapid iteration and prototyping, noting that it allows for easier fabrication and testing compared to composites, which are prone to delamination under thermal stress and require complex curing processes. SpaceX detailed the adoption of 301 stainless steel, a grade selected for its high strength-to-weight ratio and compatibility with cryogenic propellants like liquid methane and oxygen. This switch reduced material costs by approximately an order of magnitude—making stainless steel about 10 times cheaper than carbon composites—while enhancing resistance to dents and impacts during handling and launch operations. A key benefit of was its superior performance at cryogenic temperatures, where it retains or even increases tensile strength, unlike composites that can become brittle. This property enabled to simplify thermal protection systems by replacing loops—previously planned to circulate propellants through the vehicle's skin—with a passive composed of tiles and alloys. The new approach allowed the vehicle to withstand higher reentry temperatures, up to around 1,400°C, without the risk of fluid leaks or added complexity from internal cooling channels. Structurally, the shift permitted thinner walls—approximately 4 mm for the compared to 6 mm equivalents in composite designs—reducing overall fabrication time through straightforward techniques that eliminated the need for autoclaves or precision layups. Although added some mass relative to composites, this was offset by the material's simplicity, enabling faster assembly and iterative improvements in production. These changes marked a departure from the BFR's initial composite-heavy baseline, setting the stage for a more robust and economically viable interplanetary vehicle design.

Configuration and Naming Updates

In November 2018, renamed the upper stage as and the booster as Super Heavy, shifting from the previous Big Falcon Rocket (BFR) designation to highlight the vehicle's multi-role versatility for orbit, lunar, and Mars missions. Aerodynamic refinements in 2019 included the addition of two forward flaps near the nose for precise attitude control during reentry and , complementing the existing two body flaps on the aft skirt to provide stability without traditional wings or tailplanes. These changes eliminated the need for legs on the upper stage, paving the way for a conceptual tower-based catch mechanism using mechanical arms at the launch site to enable rapid reuse. The structure adopted earlier that year supported these flap designs by offering sufficient strength and thermal resistance for the vehicle's high-heat reentry profile. The payload bay was configured with an 8-meter fairing, providing ample for diverse , including large structures like satellites or habitats, and conceptual docking ports were introduced to facilitate orbital refueling and assembly operations. By March 2020, updated specifications outlined a total stack height of 120 meters and approximately 5,000 metric tons of capacity across both stages, with Raptor 2 engine upgrades—featuring higher and simplified —enabling a confirmed (LEO) payload capacity exceeding 100 metric tons, later projected to reach 230 metric tons with full optimization.

Starship Iterations (2019–2025)

Early Prototypes and Test-Driven Changes

The first full-scale prototype, designated Mk1, was constructed in 2019 at 's facility in using , marking a shift from earlier carbon composite designs. During a cryogenic pressure test on November 20, 2019, the prototype experienced a when its upper bulkhead ruptured under load, ejecting the top section and releasing vapor from both and oxygen tanks. This incident, intended to push systems to maximum pressure, highlighted vulnerabilities in the tank structure, particularly at weld seams and domes. As a result, reinforced tank seams and adopted improved techniques and a revised build process for subsequent prototypes, transitioning directly to the Mk3 design iteration for enhanced structural integrity. Building on these lessons, SpaceX advanced to the SN series of prototypes in 2020–2021, conducting suborbital hop tests to validate ascent, descent, and landing maneuvers. These vehicles, such as SN8 through SN15 (detailed in the list of Starship vehicles below), featured three sea-level Raptor engines and aerodynamic flaps for control during atmospheric reentry simulations. On December 9, 2020, SN8 achieved a milestone by reaching 12.5 km altitude, executing a controlled "belly flop" descent using body flaps for stability, and attempting a propulsive flip to vertical orientation—though it exploded on impact due to insufficient header tank pressure for engine relight. Subsequent tests with SN9, SN10, and SN11 in early 2021 encountered similar landing explosions, often from flap-induced oscillations or propellant feed issues during the flip maneuver. These failures prompted iterative flap redesigns, including adjustments to flap geometry and actuation for improved pitch, yaw, and roll authority during high-angle-of-attack descent, as implemented in later SN variants. By May 5, 2021, SN15 demonstrated these refinements with a successful 10 km hop, stable belly flop, precise flip, and intact landing—the first for a full-scale Starship prototype—validating the test-driven evolution of the landing sequence. Parallel to flight testing, the heat shield system underwent significant evolution to protect against reentry heating. Early SN prototypes, including SN8 and SN15, incorporated partial arrays of hexagonal ceramic tiles on the windward side to assess thermal performance during suborbital descents, where friction generated temperatures up to 1,400°C. Initial configurations planned for around 18,000 tiles across the belly and flaps, but testing revealed opportunities for optimization, reducing the total to approximately 10,000–12,000 larger, more efficient tiles by refining coverage and attachment methods to minimize gaps and mass while ensuring reusability. This iterative testing prioritized durability and ease of replacement, with prototypes like SN15 featuring dozens of tiles to gather data on ablation and adhesion under real aerodynamic loads. In 2021–2022, engine and propellant system upgrades further refined designs based on test outcomes. began deploying the upgraded Raptor 2 engines, which offered higher thrust (over 230 metric tons-force) and simplified manufacturing, starting with static fires on prototypes like SN20 in late 2021 and integrating them into flight hardware by early 2022 for improved reliability during ascent and burns. Additionally, to address center-of-gravity shifts observed in tests—exacerbated by added engines and stretched tanks— relocated the header tank from the common dome to the nose section beginning with S24 (also known as Ship 24) in 2022, positioning both header tanks forward alongside the oxygen unit. This change enhanced stability by balancing mass distribution, reducing the risk of tip-over during propulsive descent and touchdown.

Block 1 and Block 2 Evolutions

The inaugural orbital test flight, Integrated Flight Test 1 (IFT-1), occurred on April 20, 2023, when the vehicle—comprising Booster 7 and Ship 24 (see list below)—suffered cascading engine failures, leading to loss of attitude control and explosion of the entire stack before stage separation could occur. This incident highlighted vulnerabilities in systems, prompting to enhance engine gimbal actuators and software algorithms for improved steering authority during ascent. Additionally, the uncontrolled tumbling exposed weaknesses in the forward flap design, leading to reinforcements such as thicker structural supports and better aerodynamic shaping to withstand aerodynamic loads and potential debris impacts in subsequent vehicles. Subsequent flights from IFT-2 in November 2023 through IFT-6 in November 2024 built on these lessons, achieving key milestones in reusability and thermal protection. IFT-2 demonstrated successful stage separation via hot staging and a controlled booster descent to a soft in the , while IFT-4 in June 2024 marked the first intact ship reentry and , despite partial flap damage. Heat shield performance emerged as a critical focus, with early tests revealing excessive tile and gaps during plasma exposure; responded by implementing thinner, higher-strength ceramic tiles and an underlying ablative layer to absorb heat and seal micro-cracks, reducing material loss by facilitating controlled erosion rather than brittle failure. Engine relight demonstrations succeeded in IFT-3 and were refined in later flights, enabling in-space maneuvers essential for orbital insertion and deorbit burns. Block 1 vehicles, deployed starting in 2023 for initial orbital tests, featured a Super Heavy booster with 33 Raptor engines and a Starship upper stage equipped with six Raptors—three sea-level variants for landing and three vacuum-optimized for space operations. These configurations prioritized rapid iteration over optimization, supporting the test campaign's emphasis on ascent reliability and basic reentry survival. Block 2 iterations, introduced in late 2024, incorporated a dedicated hot-staging ring on the booster to shield it from upper-stage plume impingement during separation, enhancing structural integrity and reusability. The design also extended tank heights by approximately 1.8 meters on the upper stage, increasing capacity by about 20% to over 1,500 metric tons, which extended range and payload margins for future missions. Reuse efforts across these flights provided direct data on atmospheric reentry dynamics, with boosters achieving progressively softer splashdowns through and engine relight precision from IFT-2 onward. Ship reentries, particularly in IFT-4 and IFT-5, exposed flaps to peak heating exceeding 1,600°C, resulting in melted actuators and edge ; this informed metallurgical upgrades, including leading edges on flaps to improve thermal resistance and prevent without adding excessive mass. These evolutions, informed by post-flight and recovered analysis, transitioned from proof-of-concept prototypes toward operational reliability.

Version 3 Advancements and Future Scaling

The Version 3 (V3) design, introduced in 2025, marks a maturation toward operational deployment, incorporating enhancements derived from prior test flights to support interplanetary missions, including adaptations for Mars transit. Building iteratively on Block 2 configurations, V3 emphasizes scalability for frequent launches and in-orbit operations. V3 also includes upgraded avionics and enhanced energy storage systems to enable longer-duration missions. The overall vehicle stack height reaches approximately 142 meters, an increase over earlier iterations primarily through extended propellant tank sections on the upper stage to boost volume and structural efficiency. Key propulsion upgrades in V3 include integration of Raptor 3 engines across the Super Heavy booster (33 engines) and upper (six engines), with each Raptor 3 delivering around 2,800 kN of at through simplified architecture and higher chamber pressure. This configuration achieves a capacity of 1,500 metric tons in the upper , enabling greater delta-v for orbital maneuvers and supporting increased payload capacity toward the goal of 150 metric tons to (LEO) in fully reusable mode. Furthermore, the payload compartment has been optimized for deploying larger next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, with each launch adding 60 terabits per second of network capacity, representing 20 times more than a Falcon 9 launch. V3 introduces dedicated docking ports integrated into the vehicle's nose section, facilitating autonomous ship-to-ship transfer for orbital refueling operations. These ports support tanker variants optimized for Mars missions, where 8 to 16 refueling flights are projected to fully load a single outbound with the necessary for trans-Mars injection. Additionally, the design features redesigned panoramic windows in crewed configurations, enhancing visibility while maintaining structural integrity under reentry loads. Influences from 2025 integrated flight tests (IFT-7 through IFT-11) directly shaped V3's reusability features. IFT-7 (January 16) and IFT-8 (March 6) demonstrated successful booster catches using mechanical arms on the Starbase launch tower, validating rapid turnaround without ocean recovery and integrating these "catcher arms" as standard for V3 boosters, though upper stages were lost in both due to anomalies. IFT-9 (May 27) advanced engine reuse by reflighting a previously flown booster for the first time. Subsequent IFT-10 (August 2025) and IFT-11 (October 13, 2025) achieved further milestones, including successful ship reentries with minimal tile damage, in-space Raptor relights, and a 5-ton propellant transfer demonstration, providing data for V3 heat shield and propulsion refinements. Heat shield improvements enhanced tile durability and reduced refurbishment needs through better ablative materials and attachment methods. Looking ahead, recent announcements reflect a shift in priority toward lunar development as a precursor to Mars missions, with V3 positioned to support interplanetary capabilities including an uncrewed lunar landing targeted for March 2027, while Mars missions are expected to be delayed by approximately 5-7 years. The design supports scaling to over 100 flights per year by optimizing for high-cadence , with construction of the first V3 vehicles (Ship 39 and Booster 18) underway for IFT-12 in Q1 and a planned Version 4 (V4) stretch variant to further increase LEO payload capacity. Infrastructure expansions include preparations for launches from in 2026.

List of Starship Vehicles

The following table provides a comprehensive list of major Starship prototypes, ships, and boosters constructed by SpaceX from 2019 to 2025, including serial numbers, types, approximate construction periods, key tests or flights, outcomes, and current statuses. This list focuses on full-scale stainless-steel vehicles and excludes early subscale tests like Starhopper for brevity, though it is noted separately. Data is compiled from telemetry analyses, launch records, and post-flight reports up to December 2025.
Serial NumberTypeConstruction PeriodKey Tests/FlightsOutcome/StatusCitation
Mk1Prototype Ship2019Cryogenic proof test (Nov 2019)Catastrophic failure during test; scrapped
SN1Prototype Ship2019–2020Tank testingScrapped after weld issues
SN2Prototype Ship2020Tank testingDismantled for parts
SN3Prototype Ship2020Cryogenic proof testExploded during test; scrapped
SN4Prototype Ship2020Static fire testsDismantled
SN5Prototype Ship2020150m hop test (Aug 2020)Successful; retired
SN6Prototype Ship2020150m hop test (Sep 2020)Successful; retired
SN7Prototype Tank2020Pressure testingRetired
SN8Prototype Ship2020High-altitude test (Dec 2020, 12.5 km)Exploded on landing; scrapped
SN9Prototype Ship2021High-altitude test (Feb 2021, 10 km)Exploded on landing; scrapped
SN10Prototype Ship2021High-altitude test (Mar 2021, 10 km)Successful landing but exploded post-landing; scrapped
SN11Prototype Ship2021High-altitude test (Mar 2021, 10 km)Exploded during landing; scrapped
SN15Prototype Ship2021High-altitude test (May 2021, 10 km)Successful landing; retired
SN16–SN19Prototype Ships2021Various static fires and testsScrapped for orbital redesign
SN20 (Ship 20)Prototype Ship2021–2022Static fires planned for orbital testScrapped due to design changes
Ship 21–23Prototype Ships2022Ground testsScrapped
Booster 4Prototype Booster2022Static fire testsScrapped
Ship 24Block 1 Ship2022–2023IFT-1 (Apr 2023)Destroyed in flight; scrapped
Booster 7Block 1 Booster2023IFT-1 (Apr 2023)Destroyed in flight; scrapped
Ship 25Block 1 Ship2023IFT-2 (Nov 2023)Successful reentry splashdown; retired
Booster 9Block 1 Booster2023IFT-2 (Nov 2023)Soft splashdown; retired
Ship 28Block 1 Ship2023–2024IFT-3 (Mar 2024)Destroyed during reentry; scrapped
Booster 10Block 1 Booster2024IFT-3 (Mar 2024)Soft splashdown; retired
Ship 29Block 1 Ship2024IFT-4 (Jun 2024)Successful reentry splashdown; retired
Booster 11Block 1 Booster2024IFT-4 (Jun 2024)Soft splashdown; retired
Ship 30Block 1 Ship2024IFT-5 (Oct 2024)Successful reentry; retired
Booster 12Block 1 Booster2024IFT-5 (Oct 2024)Caught by tower arms; reused
Ship 31Block 2 Ship2024–2025IFT-6 (Nov 2024)Successful reentry and splashdown; retired
Ship 32Block 2 Ship2024–2025Ground testsIn storage
Ship 33Block 2 Ship2024–2025IFT-7 (Jan 2025)Destroyed during ascent due to propellant leak; scrapped
Booster 13Block 2 Booster2024–2025IFT-6 (Nov 2024)Soft splashdown in ocean; retired
Booster 14Block 2 Booster2024–2025IFT-7 (Jan 2025) and IFT-9 (May 2025)Caught after IFT-7; destroyed during IFT-9 due to engine failure; scrapped
Booster 15Block 2 Booster2024–2025IFT-8 (Mar 2025) and IFT-11 (Oct 2025)Caught after IFT-8; expended on IFT-11; operational
Ship 34Block 2 Ship2025IFT-8 (Mar 2025)Destroyed during flight (RUD); scrapped
Ship 35Block 2 Ship2025IFT-9 (May 2025)Destroyed during flight; scrapped
Ship 36Block 2 Ship2025Exploded during static fire preparation for IFT-10Destroyed; scrapped
Ship 37Block 2 Ship2025IFT-10Successful reentry and propellant transfer demo; operational
Ship 38Block 2 Ship2025IFT-11 (Oct 2025)Successful reentry; operational
Booster 16Block 2 Booster2025IFT-10Destroyed; scrapped
Booster 17Block 2 Booster2025No flights; ground testsRetired
Ship 39Version 3 Ship2025Fully stacked; pending testing for IFT-12 (Q1 2026)Awaiting testing
Booster 18Version 3 Booster2025Anomaly during gas system pressure testing (Nov 2025)Scrapped following anomaly
Booster 19Version 3 Booster2025–2026Under preparation for IFT-12 (Q1 2026)In production and stacked, planned as flight vehicle for Flight 12
Note: Starhopper (2019 hopper test vehicle) preceded the full-scale series and is retired after successful low-altitude hops.

References

  1. https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship
  2. https://orbitaltoday.com/2023/11/13/spacex-starship-evolution-will-musks-rocket-become-the-first-interstellar-transport-of-humanity/
  3. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/12/starship-roundup-2023/
  4. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/12/2024-starship-program/
  5. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/01/spacex-roundup-2024/
  6. https://www.spacex.com/updates
  7. https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-11
  8. https://gizmodo.com/starship-v3-the-worlds-largest-rocket-is-about-to-get-even-bigger-2000673722
  9. https://starlink.com/public-files/starlinkProgressReport_2024.pdf
  10. https://www.thespacereview.com/article/497/1
  11. https://spacenews.com/spacex-announces-the-falcon-9-fully-reusable-heavy-lift-launch-vehicle/
  12. https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2010/08/spacex-talks-falcon-x-heavy-for-125.html
  13. https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/35474/what-is-known-about-these-early-falcon-xx-concepts
  14. https://www.space.com/26042-spacex-grasshopper.html
  15. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/12/spacexs-grasshopper-conducts-40-meter-leap/
  16. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/11/mct-elon-musk-mars/
  17. https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-carbon-fiber-fuel-tank-ocean-ship-test-2016-11
  18. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/10/its-propulsion-evolution-raptor-engine/
  19. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/05/spacex-future-new-pad-usaf-contract-boost-falcon-9/
  20. https://www.space.com/34210-elon-musk-unveils-spacex-mars-colony-ship.html
  21. https://www.collectspace.com/news/news-092716d-spacex-interplanetary-transport-system.html
  22. https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/27/13074266/elon-musk-spacex-mars-mission-2016-announcement-news
  23. https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/09/27/spacexs-elon-musk-announces-vision-for-colonizing-mars/
  24. https://arstechnica.com/science/2016/09/elon-musk-reveals-first-photos-of-spacexs-powerful-new-raptor-engine/
  25. https://www.space.com/38566-spacex-engine-contract-more-air-force-money.html
  26. https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-all-in-steel-starship-super-heavy/
  27. https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-raptor-vacuum-engine-upgrade-elon-musk/
  28. https://spacenews.com/musk-unveils-revised-version-of-giant-interplanetary-launch-system/
  29. https://www.americaspace.com/2017/09/29/elon-updates-plans-for-spacex-on-moon-and-mars-by-mid-2020s-with-new-bfr/
  30. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/09/the-moon-mars-earth-musk-updates-bfr-plans/
  31. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/29/spacex-ceo-elon-musk-unveils-mars-voyage-plan.html
  32. https://www.planetary.org/articles/20170929-spacex-updated-colonization-plans
  33. https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-mars-iac-2017-transcript-slides-2017-10
  34. https://spacenews.com/musk-offers-more-technical-details-on-bfr-system/
  35. https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/17/17871724/spacex-big-falcon-rocket-bfr-mars-design-elon-musk
  36. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/space.2018.29013.emu
  37. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/10/the-continued-evolution-of-the-big-falcon-rocket/
  38. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/09/elon-musks-starship-presentation-12-months-progress/
  39. https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf
  40. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/11/spacex-starship-mk-1-fails-cryogenic-test/
  41. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/12/from-hops-hopes-starship-sn8-test-program-next-phase/
  42. https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/05/05/starship-sn15-test-flight/
  43. https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-super-heavy-upgrades-changes-2022/
  44. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/09/starship-upgrades-upcoming-test-flight/
  45. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/11/ift-2-launch/
  46. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/06/starship-flight-4-milestones-flight-5/
  47. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/03/starship-3rd-time/
  48. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/10/starship-block-2-pad-1-flight-11/
  49. https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/01/a-taller-heavier-smarter-version-of-spacexs-starship-is-almost-ready-to-fly/
  50. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/09/ten-flights-starship-program-successes-failures/
  51. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/05/future-starship-block-3-mars/
  52. https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2025/04/35-version-3-raptor-engines-on-new-spacex-starship-booster.html
  53. https://www.theweeklyspaceman.com/articles/raptor-3-specs-and-details-explained
  54. https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2025/02/spacex-version-3-starship-and-version-3-starlink-both-arrive-in-2025.html
  55. https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/14/science/takeaways-spacex-launch-flight-11
  56. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/musk-aiming-send-uncrewed-starship-mars-by-end-2026-2025-05-30/
  57. https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-catches-super-heavy-booster-on-starship-flight-7-test-but-loses-upper-stage-video-photos
  58. https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/01/04/spacex-to-attempt-first-payload-deployment-engine-reuse-during-starship-flight-7/
  59. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/11/starship-block-3-path-moon/
  60. https://www.reuters.com/science/musk-says-spacex-prioritise-building-self-growing-city-moon-2026-02-08/
  61. https://www.reuters.com/science/spacex-delays-mars-plans-focus-moon-wsj-reports-2026-02-06/
  62. https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2025/09/205681.html
  63. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/11/spacex-starship-pad-realignment-future/
  64. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/04/spacex-roundup-q12025/
  65. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/12/starship-program-year-end-review-2025/
  66. https://nextspaceflight.com/starship/
  67. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/01/sn1-update/
  68. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/06/sn2/
  69. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/04/sn3-explosion/
  70. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/05/sn4-static-fire/
  71. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/08/sn5-hop/
  72. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/09/sn6-hop/
  73. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/10/sn7/
  74. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/12/sn8-test/
  75. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/02/sn9/
  76. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/03/sn10/
  77. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/03/sn11/
  78. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/07/sn16/
  79. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/01/ship-20/
  80. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/06/ship-23/
  81. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/08/booster-4/
  82. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/04/ift-1/
  83. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/10/ift-5/
  84. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/01/ift-7/
  85. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/03/ift-8/
  86. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/10/ift-11/
  87. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/12/flight-12-vehicles-2026/
  88. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/11/booster-18-anomaly-proof-testing/
  89. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/08/starhopper-hop/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.