SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO — The SpaceX Starship is designed for satellite delivery, space missions and interplanetary transport.
According to a statement by SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the Starship is made of stainless steel that, when polished, creates a mirror-like surface that reflects thermal energy.
Stainless steel performs better at higher temperatures than other lighter materials like carbon fiber. This resistance to high temperatures is especially useful during the rocket's re-entry to Earth.
Elon Musk stated the new rocket would be ready for test flights by 2019.
The company hopes to launch an unmanned flight to Mars in 2022, and a manned mission to the Red Planet as soon as 2024.
SpaceX also plans to use the ship for other types of missions as well. According to data revealed by SpaceX, it would take the rocket under 40 minutes to travel from London to Hong Kong, a distance that takes a commercial flight almost 12 hours.
