![]() Starship prototype SN20 at the launch site; the distinctive stainless steel structure is visible as well as the edges of the dark thermal protection tiles that cover the other side of the vehicle. | |
Manufacturer | SpaceX |
---|---|
Country of origin | United States |
Operator | SpaceX |
Applications |
|
Website | spacex |
Specifications | |
Spacecraft type | Crewed, reusable |
Launch mass | ~1,300,000 kg (2,900,000 lb)[a] |
Dry mass | ~100,000 kg (220,000 lb)[1] |
Payload capacity | 200,000 kg (440,000 lb) (planned) |
Crew capacity | Up to 100 (planned) |
Volume | 1,000 m3 (35,000 cu ft) (planned) |
Dimensions | |
Height | 50 m (160 ft) |
Diameter | 9 m (30 ft) |
Wingspan | 17 m (56 ft) |
Production | |
Status | In development |
Launched | 4 |
Retired | 3 |
Failed | 1 (IFT-2) |
Lost | 2 (IFT-1, IFT-3) |
Maiden launch | 20 April 2023 |
Related spacecraft | |
Derivatives | Starship HLS |
Flown with | SpaceX Super Heavy |
Technical details | |
Propellant mass | 1,200,000 kg (2,600,000 lb) |
Powered by | 3 × Raptor engines 3 × Raptor vacuum engines |
Maximum thrust | 12,300 kN (2,800,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | SL: 327 s (3.21 km/s) vac: 380 s (3.7 km/s)[2] |
Propellant | CH4 / LOX |
Starship is a spacecraft and second stage[3] under development by American aerospace company SpaceX. Stacked atop its booster, the Super Heavy, the pair compose SpaceX's new super heavy-lift space vehicle, also called Starship. The spacecraft is designed to transport both crew and cargo to a variety of destinations, including Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars. It is intended to enable long duration interplanetary flights with a crew of up to 100 people.[3] It will also be capable of point-to-point transport on Earth, enabling travel to anywhere in the world in less than an hour. Furthermore, the spacecraft will be used to refuel other Starship spacecraft, enabling them to reach higher orbits and other space destinations. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, estimated in a tweet that 8 launches would be needed to completely refuel a Starship in low Earth orbit, extrapolating this from Starship's payload to orbit and how much fuel a fully fueled Starship contains.[4] To land on bodies without an atmosphere, such as the Moon, Starship will fire its engines and thrusters to perform a controlled descent.[5]
Development began in 2012, when Elon Musk described a plan to build a reusable rocket system with substantially greater capabilities than the Falcon 9 and the planned Falcon Heavy. The rocket evolved through many design and name changes. On July 25, 2019, the Starhopper prototype performed the first successful flight at SpaceX Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas.[6] The SN15 prototype became the first full-size test spacecraft to take off and land successfully in May 2021.[7] On April 20, 2023, Ship 24 and Booster 7 lifted off the pad, the first time the booster and Starship flew together as a fully integrated stack. On November 18, 2023, Ship 25 and Booster 9 launched, successfully completing hot-staging, during the launch, Ship 25 passed the Kármán Line, becoming the first Starship to reach space, and also became the heaviest object to ever reach space, before exploding at 148 km.[8][9][10][11][12] On March 14, 2024, Ship 28 and Booster 10 lifted off the launch pad, successfully achieving its second hot-stage separation, as well as a full-duration ascent burn of the second stage. S28 then proceeded to reenter Earth's atmosphere at orbital velocity, disintegrating during reentry 49 minutes after launch.[13][14] In April 2024, Elon Musk announced two new versions of Starship, Starship V2 and Starship V3. Both versions will be taller and will have increased thrust.[15]
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was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Starship is the fully reusable spacecraft and second stage of the Starship system.
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