SpaceX’s Starship rocket promises to reduce launch costs from $2,300/kg to just $100/kg due to its ability to land gently and be fully reusable.
Starship is a launch system that includes the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft above it. The booster is located on the first stage, while the spacecraft carries both crew and cargo on the second stage. The rocket’s mission is to send the Starship to a specific point in orbit, after which the Starship will continue its journey using its own engines while the booster returns to Earth. Both components are designed for reuse. This sets Starship apart from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, where only the first stage and the fairing are reusable.
Elon Musk, the billionaire founder and CEO of SpaceX, estimates that this reusable system could reduce launch costs to $10 million. Currently, SpaceX calculates the cost of launching one kilogram of cargo into orbit with the Falcon 9 rocket at $2,300, down from $147,000 in 1981, while Starship aims for just $100/kg. According to Musk, this figure is impressive. The lower price is attributed to Starship’s ability to provide transportation power akin to a conveyor belt to low Earth orbit.
The launch process of Starship and the booster catching with SpaceX’s “chopsticks” during the fifth test flight. (Video: AFP)
Since 2012, Musk has estimated that the Starship program will cost between $2 billion and $10 billion to develop. In 2024, SpaceX plans to invest an additional $2 billion into the rocket system to launch Starship into orbit for the first time. The long-term strategic goal of this rocket is to transport humanity to Mars, making it crucial to transport large amounts of cargo at minimal costs. Additionally, Starship can serve many other missions, from satellite delivery to transporting tourists to the Moon.
The Uniqueness of Starship
First, Starship can carry enormous amounts of cargo. To visualize its scale, Starship is half the height of the Eiffel Tower and weighs approximately 3,000 tons. The projected payload capacity of the rocket is 150 tons to low Earth orbit, which could increase to 250 tons if the booster does not return to Earth. With such capacity, the entire International Space Station (ISS), weighing 400 tons, could be launched into orbit with just two rockets. Starship’s diameter is 9 meters, meaning it can launch larger satellites into orbit at a relatively low cost. The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in a folded form, required precise deployment, leading to a high risk of mission failure, complex technical solutions, and significant manufacturing costs, reaching up to $10 billion and spanning decades. With Starship’s volume, these issues can be easily resolved. Additionally, deploying orbital modules becomes simpler (the average diameter of modules on the ISS is 4.2 m).
Second, the complete reusability of both stages of Starship. The approach to reusing stages and preparing for new flights has been tested on Falcon 9. This has allowed SpaceX to reduce launch costs and achieve a near-monopoly position in the launch service market. However, it remains unclear how many times Starship’s components can be reused to recoup costs.
Third, the gentle landing capability. This technology is also applied to Falcon 9 and has proven effective when the rocket stage returns to Earth. Vertical landing allows for extremely precise and gentle touchdown. Currently, all crewed spacecraft (Soyuz, Dragon, Starliner) land quite hard on land or water. The ability to land gently opens up many potentials: delivering people and cargo to other planets will be easier and more comfortable, satellites can be transported from orbit back to Earth for repairs and maintenance, and goods can be manufactured in orbit and brought back to Earth if economically feasible.
Finally, in-space refueling. On long flights, even Starship’s enormous cargo capacity may not be sufficient. Therefore, SpaceX provides in-space refueling capabilities. The spacecraft ascends to orbit with maximum cargo and supplements fuel used during launch with the help of a fuel-carrying aircraft. However, returning from Mars may require direct refueling on the Red Planet. The easiest way is to launch several Starship rockets carrying fuel beforehand. Another option is to produce fuel on Mars. Starship uses fuel consisting of methane and liquid oxygen. In theory, both components can be sourced on Mars.
Potential Missions for Starship
Moon Missions: SpaceX has received a $2.9 billion contract from NASA under the Artemis program. The Artemis project aims to return humans to the Moon, with SpaceX playing a key role. Two versions of Starship are expected, one for crewed landings and another for fuel transport.
This is a priority contract for SpaceX as NASA has also awarded a landing vehicle contract for the Artemis 5 mission to competitor Blue Origin. Therefore, successfully completing this mission and outpacing competitors will ensure SpaceX can continue to profit from NASA’s crewed missions. The major challenge is that Starship must be licensed for crewed flights. According to NASA’s requirements, the licensing process necessitates Starship to complete 15 launches.
Launching Cargo into Orbit: Another important goal for Starship is to enhance SpaceX’s position in the launch service market, generating steady revenue to pursue other objectives, including missions to Mars. However, Starship must demonstrate to potential customers that its reliability, affordability, and frequent launch operations are much more appealing than other rockets like Falcon 9.
Additionally, SpaceX needs to complete the deployment of the Starlink satellite constellation as quickly as possible to establish a stable revenue stream from space-based internet services. Therefore, it is likely that the first cargo flights of Starship will meet SpaceX’s demands, securing the first contract with Sky Perfect JSAT, a company that has chosen SpaceX’s Starship system to launch the Superbird-9 satellite in 2024.
Space Tourism: The reduced cost of transporting cargo to space also leads to cheaper orbital tourism. Initially, commercial space stations in orbit will create more opportunities to accommodate tourists. Secondly, travelers can fly on the Starship itself. For instance, Jared Isaacman, the billionaire founder of payment company Shift4, purchased a seat on Starship’s first crewed flight.
Mars Missions: Musk has always dreamed of sending humans to live on Mars. Mars is a long-term strategic objective for SpaceX. According to Musk, the cost of $100,000 to send one person to Mars is feasible. In this regard, Starship is a crucial step toward achieving the mission to transport humans to Mars. The vehicle is large and comfortable enough for long flights, with a volume greater than the ISS, capable of carrying several people with ample food, water, and oxygen. However, it remains unclear how SpaceX will protect passengers from cosmic radiation throughout the journey.
Suborbital Flights on Earth: Another impressive advantage of Starship is its potential to replace airplanes. Thanks to its vertical landing system, flights between any two points on Earth could be completed in just 40 minutes. Starship’s large capacity of up to 100 passengers makes such flights highly profitable and relatively affordable for the public.
Impact on the Launch Service Market: Reducing launch costs from the current $2,300/kg to $100 could be a breakthrough in the aerospace industry. Starship can make space travel more affordable for everyone, from explorers and scientists to tourists. Cargo such as satellites is no longer limited by weight and size. At the same time, deploying large satellite constellations will be quicker, significantly enhancing space-based data services. Maintenance and refueling of satellites also become feasible.
Thanks to Starship, humanity can mine on the Moon and asteroids due to cheaper long-distance flight costs and the ability to launch large systems. Additionally, humans can establish solar power plants in space, collecting sunlight and transmitting energy back to Earth.
The 122-meter-tall Starship rocket was successfully launched by SpaceX during its fifth test from Starbase, Texas, on October 13 (around 20:25 Hanoi time). In this test flight, the Starship/Super Heavy system achieved a milestone by successfully executing the “catching” mechanism on its first attempt. Specifically, after successfully launching from the Mechazilla launch tower, Starship landed in the Indian Ocean while the Super Heavy booster returned and landed precisely near the launch tower, being held securely by the robotic “chopsticks” of the tower.
