Starship is a two-stage, fully reusable, super heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by SpaceX, designed as the successor to the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, with a payload capacity of 100–150 tons to low Earth orbit. Standing 121.3 meters tall and weighing about 5,300 tons, it is powered by Raptor engines burning liquid methane and oxygen, with both stages built from stainless steel to enable vertical landing and reuse. Development began in 2005, and the first full flight on April 20, 2023, exploded just four minutes after liftoff; as of July 24, 2026, it has flown 13 times, achieving 8 successes and 5 failures, including setbacks for the Block 2 upper stages in 2025. The rocket is crucial to NASA's Artemis program, serving as the Human Landing System, with a docking test scheduled for 2027 and a crewed lunar landing planned for 2028. Beyond lunar missions, SpaceX envisions deploying large satellites and space station modules, while its long-term ambition of crewed Mars missions remains a driving goal despite current focus shifting toward returning humans to the Moon.