The World’s Largest Rocket Is About to Get Even Bigger

This past Monday, October 13, Starship Version 2 launched for the last time, ending its nearly two-year run on a high note. The megarocket’s 11th suborbital test flight marked the final launch of this iteration of Starship, making way for an upgraded version that’s larger and equipped with more efficient Raptor engines.

Starship’s Version 3 is set to debut in 2026, marking the beginning of SpaceX’s orbital tests of its launch vehicle. This version of Starship will carry payloads to orbit and fly missions to the Moon and Mars. The upgraded vehicle will be about 5 feet taller (1.5 meters), capable of carrying more propellant, and equipped with new docking adapters for in-orbit fuel transfer.

Starships are meant to fly

Starship’s latest flight was another big success. SpaceX carried out several in-flight demonstrations to prepare for the launch of the rocket’s upgraded version. The second-generation prototype flew on a suborbital trajectory, similar to its previous missions, and deployed eight Starlink simulators.

Starship’s last two flights were successful, but they followed a string of mission failures that plagued the rocket’s first three launches of the year. Although Version 2 ended on a high, it did have a rather turbulent run. Nonetheless, the company is now turning its attention toward the upgraded version of its rocket.

“Focus now turns to the next generation of Starship and Super Heavy, with multiple vehicles currently in active build and preparing for tests,” SpaceX wrote in a statement. “This next iteration will be used for the first Starship orbital flights, operational payload missions, propellant transfer, and more as we iterate to a fully and rapidly reusable vehicle with service to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”

The next-generation upgrade to the current prototype features a larger vehicle that’s capable of carrying more propellant. The rocket will also use a more powerful and efficient version of its engines, the third-generation Raptor engines.

“We’re also getting energy storage upgrades, tons of avionics changes—a lot of things that will enable longer-duration missions,” SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot said during Starship’s 11th test flight webcast.

In order to prepare the rocket for missions beyond low Earth orbit, the company also needs to equip Starship with a ship-to-ship propellant transfer system to refuel the vehicle in space.

“One notable thing you’ll start seeing on the outside are these new docking adapters, which we’ll use when we bring two Starships together for propellant transfer,” Huot said. “That’s a core capability of Starship that we’re going to demonstrate next year.”

As with any new vehicle prototype, there will be a learning curve with the next-generation Starship. During an interview in September, SpaceX’s founder Elon Musk revealed that “pretty much everything changes on the rocket with version 3.” The upgraded Starship “might have some initial teething pains because it’s such a radical redesign,” he added.

Considering the rocket’s new developments, it may take a while for Starship Version 3 to perfect those orbital flights. Musk had previously stated that he would like to send an uncrewed Starship to Mars during an upcoming launch window next year, but it’s not clear whether the rocket will be ready to travel to a new world by then.