SpaceX Starship is planned to be a fully-reusable two-stage super heavy-lift launch vehicle. This private launch vehicle will consist of the Super Heavy booster stage and the Starship spacecraft on top. In total, Starship will be the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built. One launch may deliver more than 100 t (220,000 lb) to low Earth orbit. SpaceX will also develop several variants of the Starship rocket that should make it possible to take people to the moon again and to fuel Starship spacecraft in space. Before putting this giant rocket into space, SpaceX is conducting a series of test flights with prototypes at its private rocket production and test facility located at Boca Chica, Texas. In July 2019, Starhopper, a prototype vehicle with extended fins, was able to successfully hover. In May 2021, Starship SN15 prototype successfully flew to 10 km and landed, after four failed attempts by previous prototypes. Starting in 2023, the first test flights with fully assembled Starship rockets followed with the first major success being the recovery of the Super Heavy booster during the IFT-5 test flight in October 2024. Learn all about the different Starship test flights thanks to this overview!
SpaceX Starship launch overview
Images: SpaceX
