Intricate and sophisticated sequences depend on several untested technologies. A crucial aspect is the refueling of starships in space. Dreyer noted that it remains uncertain how many launches will be required to supply the necessary fuel, but they must occur rapidly.

“It might take between 12 and 20 refueling missions within a month to replenish Starship’s tanks with enough fuel for a mission to the moon and back,” he stated. “Such a scenario has never been realized.”

Refueling only in space would necessitate a “significant advancement” from Starship’s current capabilities, he remarked.

“This poses a tremendous challenge,” Dreyer emphasized. “Without these advancements, our lunar aspirations won’t be achievable.”

The Starship lander is projected to stand approximately 150 feet taller than the rugged, spider-like lunar lander NASA utilized during the Apollo missions. Such a taller design could enable Starship to transport more passengers and cargo; however, it may also be less stable than the Apollo spacecraft.

Nevertheless, Dreyer argued that it wouldn’t have been practical for NASA to depend on outdated technology, especially considering financial constraints. A single Saturn V rocket launch from the Apollo era costs around $2 billion today. In contrast, SpaceX aims to develop Starship as fully reusable, which could lower costs and speed up launch times.

The next phase for the company involves revealing an upgraded Starship prototype. This model is approximately five feet taller and incorporates an enhanced docking mechanism, increased energy storage, and software improvements to facilitate long-duration flights.

This new version will be employed for Starship’s inaugural orbital flight, testing essential SpaceX procedures such as fuel transfer and payload transportation into space, as per SpaceX officials. I discussed this in my previous post following Monday’s test.

Future missions, like this week’s, will also be under scrutiny as China moves toward its 2030 objectives.

“Four years is a short time frame in space,” Dreyer remarked. “These endeavors are exceptionally complex and challenging because the universe is perpetually testing you.”