Vehicle Details
| Stack family | Starship/Super Heavy |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 9 m class |
| Booster engines | 33 Raptor engines in published SpaceX Starship overview |
| Propellant | liquid methane + liquid oxygen |
| Recovery concept | return to launch site and tower catch approach |
SpaceX reference study
Super Heavy
reusable first-stage booster for Starship. Architecture: Large methane/oxygen booster using clustered Raptor engines.
Use in design studyLaunch visual
Reusable launch vehicle image
This page includes the generated launch image as an in-page visual, tied to vehicle architecture and mission delivery.
AeroVectrix Study Notes
- Super Heavy is a reference case for extreme engine clustering, methane/oxygen operations, and rapid-reuse infrastructure.
- AeroVectrix study focus: thrust structure, engine-out philosophy, propellant loading rates, launch mount acoustics, and booster recovery.
Working Model
Ascent
Mission begins with thrust-to-weight margin, guidance through dense atmosphere, max-Q load management, and staging when the lower stage has delivered useful impulse.
Staging
Separation events must protect vehicle attitude, avoid recontact, confirm engine start conditions, and preserve payload environment limits.
Mission Assurance
Public vehicle studies should track assumptions, review dates, risk areas, and unknowns rather than overclaim exact proprietary data.