STARSHIP

Starship is a complete game-changer. It really is.

THE KEY TO SPACE DEVELOPMENT
Space advocates know that the secret to the large-scale development of space is a fully and rapidly reusable, orbital rocket. And that is what SpaceX is aiming for in Starship. It is a tall order but SpaceX is pursuing this goal single-mindedly.

STARSHIP'S CAPABILITY
Starship is a two-stage, fully reusable, super heavy lift vehicle and it is being developed now at Boca Chica, TX. It is bigger and more powerful than even the Saturn V Moon rocket. With refueling in low Earth orbit (LEO), it will be able to send its entire 100+ ton payload to the surface of the Moon or Mars. Or it will be able to send 100 passengers to these destinations per launch. And SpaceX isn't just developing the rocket, it's actually developing the factory to crank out a fleet of those rockets. Their goal is to establish a city on Mars with a million people and they seem to be on a viable path to achieving it.

SUCCESS AT ALL LEVELS OF PROGRESS
The most challenging part of Starship's technical development will probably be the re-entry of the upper stage while delivering enough payload to orbit and having enough propellant for a safe landing. But SpaceX will continue to pursue this goal until it is achieved. But even well before then, Starship will reach a tipping point whereby the decision-makers in Washington DC will be faced with the question of whether to change horses given Starship's much lower price and potentially greater capability. The Space Development Network advocates that, just as soon as Starship first reaches orbit, then the transition to Starship should start.

In the inflatables section of this website, we are going to look more closely at the historic significance of space development. And Starship is the key enabler of that future -- a future that will be here within about 10 years from now.