SpaceX is preparing for the first test flight of Starship, which is the most powerful rocket ever built.
About SpaceX Starship
- Starship is a fully reusable spacecraft designed and built by SpaceX with the primary goal of sending humans to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Key objectives
- SpaceX aims to use Starship to establish a self-sustaining human settlement on Mars.
- The ultimate goal is to enable humans to become a multi-planetary species.
- It also aims to make Starship reusable, reducing the cost of spaceflight and bringing down the price to a few million dollars per flight.
- In the long run, the company aims to achieve full and rapid reusability of the spacecraft.
Features
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Details
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| Design and configuration |
- Made up of two parts: a 50-meter tall spacecraft and a 70-meter tall Super Heavy rocket booster.
- Spacecraft has six Raptor engines; Super Heavy Booster has 28 Raptor engines.
- Payload capacity of up to 100 metric tons and features a large heat shield.
- Interior can be configured for up to 100 passengers or cargo.
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| Manoeuvrability |
- Designed to be fully reusable, with vertical take-off and landing on Earth, Moon, and Mars.
- Can be refuelled in orbit for deeper space travel and for establishing a human settlement on Mars.
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| Construction and materials |
- Built using durable and cost-effective stainless steel material.
- Stainless steel also provides heat protection during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
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| Power and thrust |
- Powered by methane and liquid oxygen fueled Raptor engines.
- Generates 17 million pounds of thrust more than twice that of the Saturn V rockets used for the Apollo missions.
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