Elon Musk unveils Starship prototype, says first test flight expected within two months

Musk describes SpaceX Starship as 'basically an ICBM that lands'

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has unveiled the prototype of the spacecraft the company has designed to carry humans to both the Moon and Mars - and back to Earth.

Speaking in front of a 50-metre Starship prototype at SpaceX facility outside Brownsville, Texas, Musk described Starship as "the most inspiring thing" that he'd ever seen. Musk added that Starship's first test flight could come in one or two months, in which the craft will reach an altitude of 19,800 metres (65,000 feet) before landing back vertically on the ground.

"It's going to be pretty epic to see that thing take off and come back," Musk said.

In his livestreamed speech, Musk talked about various design features of Starship and said SpaceX engineers are working to conduct the first orbital flight of the new spacecraft in next six months.

"This is basically the holy grail of space," stated SpaceX founder.

Starship is a massive spacecraft designed to carry dozens of humans to the moon and Mars. SpaceX plans to pair the 50-metre high (164 feet) steel rocketship with a colossal booster stage, dubbed the Super Heavy, making the full rocket 118 metres (387 feet) tall.

SpaceX had originally planned to use high-tech carbon fibre to build Starship, but then decided to go for denser stainless steel, which is cheaper than carbon fibre and becomes stronger at ultralow temperatures.

SpaceX scientists believe stainless steel body of Starship will also be able to withstand intense heat at the time of vehicle's re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

It's going to be pretty epic to see that thing take off and come back

During Saturday's event Musk also said that scientists at his spaceflight company were exploring the option of using Starship as a speedy way to travel around the world. For example, a trip from New York to Tokyo on Starship would be completed in just 30 minutes, although this mode of travel would definitely be much more expensive than a usual air trip.

"It's basically an ICBM that lands," Musk said. "Nothing gets there faster than an ICBM It's just minus the nuclear bomb and add landing."

For the past 17 years, SpaceX has been working toward the goal of making space travel accessible as well as cheaper for future space travellers. Musk has repeatedly said that it is essential to have the capability of reusing spacecraft to make space travel viable. He believes that by designing rockets that are not thrown away after just one trip, the cost of space travel could be greatly reduced.

Last month, the company test launched its single-engine Starhopper prototype that successfully completed a short flight lasting for just 57 seconds.

Earlier in April, the first test flight of Starhopper was conducted, which barely produced any separation between the prototype and the ground.

During the second test flight on 25th July, the prototype performed a brief hover at a height of 20 metres.