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Reusable superheavy-lift general-purpose launch vehicle
Starship is a two-stage, fully reusable, super heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by American aerospace company SpaceX. Currently built and launched from Starbase in Texas, it is intended as the successor to the company's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, and is part of SpaceX's broader reusable launch system development program. If completed as designed, Starship would be the first fully reusable orbital rocket and have the highest payload capacity of any launch vehicle to date. As of July 24, 2026, Starship has launched 13 times, with 8 successful flights and 5 failures.
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SpaceX's mammoth rocket, Starship, reached orbit for the first time on Monday. The mission was shorter than expected, but SpaceX completed its objectives as it develops the world's largest rocket.
The megarocket deployed 26 Starlink satellites on its first revenue-generating flight, but engine trouble cut the mission short by nearly seven hours.
SpaceX's Starship just cleared a milestone that directly funds its most profitable business, but the flight also exposed how much the company still needs to prove before investors can trust its biggest numbers.