The United States military is exploring the capabilities of the world’s largest rocket, Starship, for dangerous or sensitive missions.
Will Starship Be Deployed Soon?
The U.S. Department of Defense is contracting with SpaceX to utilize the launch services from Elon Musk’s company.
Specifically, SpaceX will provide rockets such as Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship, along with related services to deliver payloads into orbit, including communication satellites or military equipment.
“The Pentagon is expected to take direct control of the Starship rocket for missions considered highly sensitive or potentially dangerous,” shared Gary Henry, senior advisor for space solutions and national security at SpaceX.
The world’s most powerful rocket Starship may soon be utilized by the Pentagon. (Image credit: SpaceX).
Under the agreement, ownership transfer will occur depending on the military mission. This means that for certain missions, the Starship rocket will be operated directly by the Pentagon.
The U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has also discussed using the Starship rocket for military purposes.
A Promising Vehicle
It’s important to note that the Starship rocket is also involved in the Artemis Moon Program by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which currently plans to use this vehicle to send a crewed lunar lander back to our satellite (the Moon).
However, the rocket still requires more testing before NASA can trust it for missions. The Starship is expected to participate in the Artemis III mission in early 2026.
Despite several failed tests in 2023, both the Pentagon and NASA remain very interested in Starship.
This growing interest is not coincidental, as the vehicle offers numerous advantages.
In fact, Starship is designed to be a fully reusable rocket capable of carrying extremely large payloads. This advantage provides flexibility for government missions and scientific endeavors.
Additionally, the reusability of Starship is foundational to reducing launch costs and significantly lowering the expenses of manufacturing new rockets for each mission.
Rapid transportation capabilities in a short timeframe are also appealing to space agencies and the military. This is particularly important for transporting military goods or swiftly responding to specific missions.
Beyond its ability to carry large payloads, Starship is also designed to transport crew members and serve missions in search of extraterrestrial life.
The Starship rocket consists of two main stages, a Super Heavy booster equipped with 33 powerful Raptor engines, generating approximately 16.5 million pounds of thrust at launch, while the second stage of the rocket can carry payloads up to 10 times that of the Falcon 9 rocket. Starship is designed to transport crew members, spacecraft, satellites, and cargo to locations within the Solar System. Both of these systems are engineered to be fully reusable, a critical breakthrough that SpaceX’s founder Elon Musk believes can enable humanity to conquer Mars within reach. Starship uses methane and liquid oxygen as fuel, both of which can be produced on Mars, allowing Starship to launch from both the Red Planet and Earth. |
