SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket has flown 10 times since its first launch in 2023, and the results have been mixed.
While there have indeed been a number of “rapid unscheduled disassemblies” (SpaceX-speak for “explosion”) along the way, there have also been some big successes, including the landing of the first-stage Super Heavy booster back at the Starbase launch site in southern Texas.
NASA plans to use the Starship — the most powerful rocket ever built — for crew and cargo missions to the moon and possibly even Mars, but before that can happen, SpaceX has to further improve the rocket and achieve some key milestones. Let’s take a closer look:
Booster landing at Starbase from a higher angle of attack
SpaceX has successfully demonstrated on three occasions that it can successfully land the Super Heavy booster back at Starbase. The impressive maneuver uses giant mechanical arms on the launch tower to secure the 71-meter-tall booster just above the ground as it comes in to land.
But as you may have noticed, in the most recent Starship test on August 26, SpaceX deliberately landed the Super Heavy booster in the ocean. This was because it wanted to test a more efficient descent involving a higher angle of attack. SpaceX tried to test the new descent path in the ninth test but the rocket disintegrated on its way down. The 10th flight, however, achieved a soft, controlled landing in the ocean. The sea landing was chosen over Starbase to eliminate the risk of damage to the launch site in case it failed. But expect to see SpaceX bring the booster back to Starbase again soon.
Landing the Starship spacecraft back at Starbase
While SpaceX has succeeded in landing the Starship on the ground in solo test flights several years ago, it’s yet to achieve the same feat involving a flight with the booster — but that’s the plan. Doing so will allow the team to quickly refurbish both the spacecraft and the booster for multiple launches, with reusability a key part of SpaceX’s approach to spaceflight.
Tests with the spacecraft have seen it splash down in the ocean, allowing SpaceX to safely test the descent process.
When SpaceX does bring the spacecraft back to Starbase, it’ll do so in the same way that it does with the booster, by cradling it in huge mechanical arms. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has suggested that the first Starship spacecraft landing at Starbase could take place in the first half of 2026. The first attempt will likely be made in a suborbital flight.
Getting the Starship spacecraft into orbit
Up to now, Starship has achieved several suborbital flights and also deployed payloads, namely dummy Starlink satellites. But a full orbital insertion has yet to be achieved. Reaching and maintaining orbit is of course essential for missions to destinations like the moon and Mars.
But how will it do it? After separating from the Super Heavy booster at an altitude of around 47 miles (about 75 km), the upper stage will need to perform complex orbital insertion burns with its six Raptor engines to reach a stable near-Earth orbit. The first attempt at an orbital flight could come in 2026.
Landing the Starship spacecraft at Starbase from orbit
Once the Starship achieves orbital flight, SpaceX then has to bring it back from orbit to the landing site at Starbase. The challenge involves the spacecraft performing a controlled descent from orbit, reentering the atmosphere, and landing back at the launch site, with extreme physical forces acting against the vehicle on its way down.
The capability is vital for missions returning from lunar or interplanetary destinations. This is no easy feat and will require top-level engineering to achieve, but considering the progress that SpaceX has made so far, it’s sure to get there. How long it will take is less certain.
Propellant transfer in orbit
Another challenge is refueling the Starship spacecraft while it’s in obit, which is vital for deep-space missions to the moon and Mars. The maneuver will involve two Starship spacecraft docking high above Earth before one of them transfers fuel to the other.
The procedure is necessary as the Starship launches with minimal onboard fuel to maximize its payload capacity and reduce the overall launch weight for greater efficiency.
SpaceX is eyeing next year for its first ship-to-ship propellant transfer demonstration.
As you can see, SpaceX definitely has its work cut out even before it can start thinking about putting a crew on board. A major test will come with the Artemis III mission, currently set for 2027, which will involve using a modified version of the spacecraft to put astronauts back onto the lunar surface. But a lot of things have to go right for that date to stick. It’s also worth remembering that for Artemis III, the astronauts will travel to lunar orbit aboard NASA’s SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft before transferring to the Starship spacecraft for touchdown.
