What we know

SpaceX’s Starship rocket is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, measuring 394 feet (120 meters) tall and 30 feet (9 meters) wide. It features a two-stage design: the Super Heavy booster equipped with 33 Raptor engines, and the Starship upper stage with six Raptor engines. 7 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, exceeding the power of the Saturn V and NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). Starship stands 394 feet (120 meters) tall and 30 feet (9 meters) wide. The Super Heavy booster uses 33 Raptor engines; the Starship upper stage uses six. 7 million pounds, making it the most powerful rocket built.

Why it matters

Starship is designed as a fully reusable launch system for crewed and cargo missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Its immense thrust capacity and size position it as a key vehicle for advancing space exploration. The rocket’s development is integral to NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface and establish sustainable exploration.

What is still unknown

Details on independent testing of Starship’s performance and reliability have not been reported. Information about software, supported languages for onboard systems, and a confirmed timeline for operational launches remains unavailable. No independent evaluations of the rocket’s accuracy or reusability have been published.