yacht starship 1

"Perfect Option for Exclusive Charters in Central Florida"

Specifications

Ratings & reviews, boat location.

• Response rate: 97%
• Avg. response time: < 12 hours

Things to know

Allowed on boat, cancellation policy strict.

• Free cancellations until 30 days before the booking start time.
• 50% refund for cancellations between 15-30 days before the booking start time.
• Cancellations within 14 days of the booking start time are non-refundable.

Commercial owner

This boat belongs to a Commercial Owner, an independent boat rental company. A Commercial Owner is an independent, Boatsetter-approved boat rental company who provides their own insurance to their guests.

Security deposit

A security deposit hold (not a charge) will be placed on your credit card 48 hours before your booking starts to cover any incidental damage that may occur during your rental. This hold is released 48 hours after the booking is complete, if no claims are made. The security deposit amount for the boat you are booking will be outlined during the check-out process.

Captain info

If requested, the owner can provide a list of available captains for bareboat charter or the renter can use their own qualified captain. If the boat is being time chartered, the owner will provide the Captain.

• Plan Your Meeting
• New Development
• Business Services
• Convention District Guide
• Facilities Search
• Faith-Based Meetings
• Meeting Deals
• Medical Meetings
• Multicultural Meetings
• Suppliers & Venues
• Tampa Convention Center
• Transportation
• Treasure Collection
• Convention Services
• Airports/Airlines
• Shuttle Services
• Taxis, Car Rentals & Charter Buses
• Limo/ Sedan/ SUV/ Mini Bus
• Tampa Bay Cruise Terminals
• Public Transportation
• Bus & Motorcoach
• Transportation Management Services
• Itinerary Ideas
• Digital Guides
• Visit Tampa Bay Logos
• Meeting Planners Videos
• Unlock Deals
• Shop Tampa Bay
• Brand Descriptions
• Find a Contact
• Travel Trade
• Travel Agent Academy
• Itineraries
• Partnership
• Become a Partner
• Request Info
• Press Releases
• Media Visits
• Research & Statistics
• What's New in Tampa Bay?
• Things to Do
• All Things to Do
• Accessible Travel
• Arts & Culture
• Attractions
• Entertainment & Nightlife
• Casino & Racing
• Entertainment
• Breweries & Distilleries
• LGBTQ Pride
• TAG Approved® Hotels
• Outdoors & Nature
• The Tampa Riverwalk
• Spas & Fitness
• Tampa Bay Tours
• Water Activities
• Nearby Beaches
• All Places To Stay
• Campgrounds & RV Parks
• Hotels & Resorts
• TAG Approved Hotels
• Treasure Collection Hotels
• Vacation Rentals
• Food + Drink
• All Food + Drink
• Restaurants
• Cafes, Coffee, and Bakeries
• Frozen Treats / Ice Cream
• Vegan-Friendly
• MICHELIN Recipients
• Pet-Friendly Dining
• All Blog Posts
• Podcast Playlist
• Tampa History
• Local Markets
• Bike in Tampa
• Murals of Tampa Bay
• 11 Things to Know
• Before the Puck Drops
• Nature in Tampa Bay
• Cuba Without a Passport
• Tampa Memory Makers
• March Events
• Gasparilla Season
• Children's Gasparilla
• Gasparilla Pirate Fest
• Sant' Yago Knight Parade
• Gasparilla Distance Classic
• Gasparilla Festival of the Arts
• Gasparilla Music Festival
• Gasparilla Film Festival
• Submit an Event

Yacht StarShip

• 603 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602
• (813) 223-7999

Set sail on the waterways of Tampa Bay and Clearwater with Yacht StarShip and delight in a different kind of dining experience! When you come aboard our yachts, you can expect unmatched service, exquisite views and delicious, freshly-prepared dishes. Experience stunning Clearwater sunsets or the bright city lights of Downtown Tampa as you sip and savor your way through our upscale cuisine and cocktails. 

Yacht StarShip’s fleet of four luxury yachts are perfect for any size event from 25 – 600 guests and feature top quality service, breathtaking views, entertainment, and award-winning cuisine. Our all-inclusive event packages make planning easy seabreezy. Whether you want to tie the knot on a yacht, or create a sea of memories with a social celebration, our dedicated crew is here for you.

Make your reservation today! 

As America's first three-diamond rated dining yacht, Yacht StarShip offers the best views on the waters of Tampa Bay and award-winning cuisine. A dining experience on the 600-passenger Yacht StarShip, or the 150-passenger Yacht StarShip II is set to impress. Available for public or private cruises from Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and other local ports. Reserve your table today!

Dining/Nightlife

• Cuisine: American
• Days/Hours of Operation: Cruise dates and times vary. Call 813-223-7999 for information.
• Dining Reservations: Required
• Number of Indoor Seats: 600
• Private/Group Room Capacity: 600
• Style: Fine Dining
• Total Restaurant Capacity: 600

Dining & Entertainment

Parking facilities, things to do & see.

• Average length of Stay/Tour: Stay 3 hours
• American Express
• Largest Banquet Capacity: 600
• Largest Classroom Capacity: 300
• Largest Reception Capacity: 600
• Largest Theatre Capacity: 300
• Outdoor Facilities Sq Ft: 3000
• Total Capacity (Reception): 600
• Total Number of Meeting Rooms: 1
• Total Square Footage: 6000
• Map Show Map

Please use a modern browser to view this website. Some elements might not work as expected when using Internet Explorer.

• Landing Page
• Luxury Yacht Vacation Types
• Corporate Yacht Charter
• Tailor Made Vacations
• Luxury Exploration Vacations
• View All 3567
• Motor Yachts
• Sailing Yachts
• Classic Yachts
• Catamaran Yachts
• Filter By Destination
• More Filters
• Latest Reviews
• Charter Special Offers
• Destination Guides
• Inspiration & Features
• Mediterranean Charter Yachts
• France Charter Yachts
• Italy Charter Yachts
• Croatia Charter Yachts
• Greece Charter Yachts
• Turkey Charter Yachts
• Bahamas Charter Yachts
• Caribbean Charter Yachts
• Australia Charter Yachts
• Thailand Charter Yachts
• Dubai Charter Yachts
• Destination News
• New To Fleet
• Charter Fleet Updates
• Special Offers
• Industry News

Yacht Shows

• Corporate Charter
• Finding a Yacht Broker
• Charter Preferences
• Questions & Answers
• Add my yacht

View More Photos

• Luxury Charter Yachts
• Motor Yachts for Charter
• Amenities & Toys
• Rates & Regions
• + Shortlist

STARSHIP YACHT CHARTER

43.59m  /  143'   van mill   1988 / 2020.

• Previous Yacht

Cabin Configuration

Special Features:

• Large exterior spaces for dining and socializing
• Loaded with water toys and tenders
• Flexible cabin configuration to meet the specific needs of guests

Superbly refit, superyacht STARSHIP treats charter guests to a fantastic cruising experience

The 43.59m/143' motor yacht 'Starship' by shipyard Van Mill offers flexible accommodation for up to 12 guests in 5 cabins and features interior styling by Procasa.

Built in 1988, Starship offers beautifully proportioned decks for exquisite indoor/outdoor living during a luxury yacht charter .

Guest Accommodation

Families will particularly love Starship thanks to her child-friendly setup. She offers guest accommodation for up to 12 guests with a layout comprising a master suite, two VIP cabins, one double cabin and one twin cabin. There are 7 beds in total, including 3 king, 1 queen, 1 double, 3 singles and 1 pullman. She is also capable of carrying up to 9 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht charter experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Keeping comfortable and entertained on Starship is easy thanks to the available amenities such as a gym with all the latest equipment to maintain your fitness routine. Soak up the bubbles in style in the deck jacuzzi.

Starship benefits from some excellent features to improve your charter such as Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to stay connected at all times, should you wish. Guests will experience complete comfort while chartering thanks to air conditioning.

Performance & Range

Built with a aluminium hull and aluminium superstructure, she benefits from a semi-displacement hull to provide exceptional seakeeping and impressive speeds. Powered by twin Caterpillar engines, she comfortably cruises at 10 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 17 knots with a range of up to 3,201 nautical miles from her 52,990 litre fuel tanks at 12 knots. With a shallow draft of 1.96m/6'5" Starship can anchor closer to coves and sheltered bays overnight. Starship features at-anchor stabilizers providing exceptional comfort levels.

Set against the backdrop of your chosen cruising ground, you and your guests can enjoy endless days of fun on the water with the exceptional collection of water toys and accessories aboard Starship. Principle among these are waterslides bringing a sense of fun that all the family can enjoy. Guests can experience the thrill and adventure of riding one of the five Yamaha VX 110 Deluxe WaveRunners. Another excellent feature are towable toys offering fun and adventure. If that isn't enough Starship also features waterskis, a seabob, wakeboards, kayaks, WindSurfers. When it comes to Tenders, Starship has you covered - with three tenders, including a 11.58m/38' Intrepid Tender.

Based in the magical waters of the Caribbean all year round Starship is ready for your next luxury yacht charter. Let Starship Discover the magical places, food and experiences of the the Caribbean.

Showcasing meticulous craftsmanship coupled with high-end luxurious finishes, motor yacht Starship certainly has the "wow" factor, along with state-of-the-art amenities and array of water toys, promising truly unforgettable yacht charters for even the most discerning guests.

TESTIMONIALS

There are currently no testimonials for Starship, please provide .

Starship Photos

Amenities & Entertainment

For your relaxation and entertainment Starship has the following facilities, for more details please speak to your yacht charter broker.

Starship is reported to be available to Charter with the following recreation facilities:

• 1 x 11.58m  /  38' Intrepid Tender with 3 x Mercury 275 HP engines plus fishing gear, full cabin and SAT TV
• 1 x 5.49m  /  18' Novurania Tender with 1 x Yamaha 115 HP engine
• 1 x 12.19m  /  40' Intrepid Tender with 3 x 350 HP engines

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

• + shortlist

Starship is reported to be available to Charter with the following on board wellness facilities:

• Elliptical Machine
• Free Weights

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

'Starship' Charter Rates & Destinations

Summer Season

May - September

$120,000 p/week + expenses

High Season

Cruising Regions

Caribbean Bahamas

HOT SPOTS:   Florida

Winter Season

October - April

$150,000 p/week + expenses

Charter Starship

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker , or we can help you.

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker or

Starship will be attending the following yacht shows. For more information please contact your preferred charter broker.

West Palm Beach, Florida

21st - 24th Mar 2024

Florida's East Coast beckons as the highly anticipated Palm Beach Boat Show returns for another glistening edition from 21-24 March at downtown West Palm Beach.

Update your yacht

Yacht Owner, Captain or Central Agents - Send us latest Photos, Charter Rates or Corrections Contact Us

SIMILAR YACHTS FOR CHARTER

46m | Nylen

from $230,000 p/week

46m | Feadship

from $163,000 p/week ♦︎

44m | Heesen

from $125,000 p/week

Bella Stella

from $137,000 p/week ♦︎

40m | Heesen

from $101,000 p/week ♦︎

Carmen Serena

40m | Marine Industrial Technologies

from $79,000 p/week ♦︎

Cheetah Moon

39m | Cantieri Navali Nicolini

from $71,000 p/week ♦︎

Cloud Atlas

46m | Lloyds Ships

from $153,000 p/week ♦︎

Costa Magna

45m | Turquoise Yachts

from $98,000 p/week ♦︎

45m | Cantieri Navali Nicolini

from $147,000 p/week ♦︎

43m | Christensen

from $97,000 p/week ♦︎

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Specification

SEASONAL CHARTER RATES

• Share on Facebook
• Share Yacht

SIMILAR LUXURY CHARTER YACHTS

Here are a selection of yachts which are similar to the current charter yacht. To view all similar luxury charter yachts click on the button below.

As Featured In

The YachtCharterFleet Difference

YachtCharterFleet makes it easy to find the yacht charter vacation that is right for you. We combine thousands of yacht listings with local destination information, sample itineraries and experiences to deliver the world's most comprehensive yacht charter website.

San Francisco

• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter
• Follow us on Instagram
• Find us on LinkedIn
• Add My Yacht
• Affiliates & Partners

Popular Destinations & Events

• St Tropez Yacht Charter
• Monaco Yacht Charter
• St Barts Yacht Charter
• Greece Yacht Charter
• Mykonos Yacht Charter
• Caribbean Yacht Charter

Featured Charter Yachts

• Maltese Falcon Yacht Charter
• Wheels Yacht Charter
• Victorious Yacht Charter
• Andrea Yacht Charter
• Titania Yacht Charter
• Ahpo Yacht Charter

Receive our latest offers, trends and stories direct to your inbox.

Please enter a valid e-mail.

Thanks for subscribing.

Search for Yachts, Destinations, Events, News... everything related to Luxury Yachts for Charter.

Yachts in your shortlist

TAMPA BAY'S PREMIER DINING YACHTS

Tampa   •   st. petersburg   •   clearwater.

603 Channelside Drive Tampa, FL 33602

Click Here to Make  Your Reservations!

Year-round fine dining lunch & dinner cruises out of Channelside in Tampa Bay!

Featuring a narrated daytime tour with over 17 Attractions & Museums, 24 Restaurants and 13 Parks!

Yacht StarShip, America's First 3-diamond rated Dining Yacht by AAA, ranks in the top 28% of all restaurants. Our exquisite dining cruises offer private seating, tableside service, spectacular views and dancing under the stars.

​ ​"Create a Sea of Memories" with group celebrations on the water as well as Weddings, Receptions, Corporate Outings, Holiday Parties, Convention Gatherings, Banquets, Galas, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Social Events, Birthdays, and Anniversaries. We are conveniently docked in Channelside in Downtown Tampa between the Florida Aquarium and the Tampa Bay Times Forum. Just minutes from the Tampa Convention Center, Ybor City, Tampa Riverwalk and Downtown Tampa Hotels!​

With three yachts to choose from, Yacht StarShip is the perfect special event venue for groups from 2 - 600.

Best Value of the Year!

Party Like a Yacht Star!

Cruising nightly in Clearwater Beach!

Vote Best All-Around Restaurant

Tampa Bay's Premier Dining Yachts | Tampa •  St. Petersburg •  Clearwater

New site coming soon, yacht starship's new website .

YachtStarShip.com is undergoing a make-over and we are excited to announce that a New Website is Coming Soon ! 

Please be advised that saved bookmarks and links will change with the rollout of the new site.

Get Involved!

For more information on upcoming events, subscribe to our e-mail newsletter below. 

Interested in this vendor?

Attributes highlighted by couples

On WeddingWire since 2011

Yacht StarShip is a cruise-ship wedding venue located in Tampa, Florida. This company features an array of dining cruises and luxury yachts for couples to host their romantic celebrations right at sea. The attentive on-site staff and all-inclusive packages ensure that soon-to-be-weds will have a stress-free, unforgettable voyage.

Facilities and Capacity

Yacht StarShip has four luxury yachts to choose from, each featuring both outdoor and indoor event spaces. They make an ideal setting for a variety of celebrations, from ceremonies with 25 close friends and family to receptions with 300 guests. A couple's yacht will go along the Tampa Bay or Clearwater Beach as they enjoy their first day as newlyweds. The open-air spaces give couples the chance to say "I do" with the Downtown Tampa skyline as a backdrop. Elegant decor items will be provided to add a sophisticated touch to your special day.

Services Offered

Couples will have a variety of packages to choose from, each with different amenities to suit their vision and budget. A wedding coordinator will be present during your rehearsal dinner and wedding day, to make sure everything goes according to plan. The onsite catering team customizes each soon-to-be-wed's menu to feature their favorite dishes and flavors. From your hors d'oevres to your dessert display, to your cocktail menu, they will work to make sure all of your guests have an enjoyable evening. Yacht StarShip also has different enhancements to complete a couple's dream day, including:

• Specialty linens
• Ice sculptures
• Custom ring buoys

Follow Yacht StarShip on

Bundle and save time! Contact Yacht StarShip and their preferred vendors

Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue, do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue, which of the following are included in starting site fee, which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering, which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service, what is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue, how many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer, describe your venue:, what kind of settings are available, which of the following wedding events does your venue service, what event services do you offer, what catering services do you offer, what bar services do you provide, what event items are available, what food and beverage items are available, what transportation and access is available, what months are included in your peak season, what months are included in your off-peak season.

• Quality of service 4.9 out of 5 rating 4.9
• Average response time 4.9 out of 5 rating 4.9
• Professionalism 4.9 out of 5 rating 4.9
• Value 4.8 out of 5 rating 4.8
• Flexibility 4.9 out of 5 rating 4.9

Review summary

Yacht Starship is highly recommended by multiple reviewers for weddings. The staff, including event coordinators Joey, Amelia, Wendy, Eric, Rachel, and Christine, were praised for their exceptional service and attention to detail. The food was described as delicious and the organization of the events was highly appreciated. The unique experience of having a wedding on a yacht was a highlight for many guests, and the overall experience was deemed smooth and perfect.

Absolutely Amazing

Best choice for rehearsal dinner

December Wedding

Are you interested?

Real Weddings

Chris is a Yacht StarShip Wedding Pro with over 20 years in the industry. From the moment you meet Chris you'll fall in love with her attention to detail and amazing customer service. Our couples adore working with Chris from booking to planning a wedding event she's the best in the business!

Professional Network & Endorsements

The Yacht Starship is such a unique event space will gorgeous views! We love working with their team of professionals. We've photographed events large and small and would highly recommend them!

We love the Yacht Starship! Every event, no matter the type or size, is given the utmost attention. There is nothing left to chance, the best food, beautiful sites, wonderful event coordinators, what's not to love?

We are BLOWN AWAY by our experience! The staff was so professional and sweet - class act, five-star service! And this is after they serviced a wedding earlier in the day! And the FOOD! Omgosh we were so pleasantly surprised! We eat a lot of catered food obviously lol and did not expect much for the food - but WOW were we wrong! Everything was DELICIOUS! Our favorites were the homemade salad dressing, prime rib and the creamy tomato soup. And the bread pudding!!!!! My goodness we felt spoiled! We are so very grateful for this experience. We truly had a lovely evening enjoying this experience and of course the beautiful boat ride and scenery. We even made it to the dance floor!

Preferred Vendors

Would you like to visit?

Other vendors in Tampa for your wedding

Wedding venues.

• Barn & Farm Weddings
• Hotel Weddings
• Winery Weddings
• Country Club Weddings
• Restaurant Weddings
• Rooftop Weddings
• Mansion Weddings
• Church & Temple Weddings
• Museum Weddings
• Park & Outdoor Weddings
• Historic Weddings
• Banquet Halls
• Beach Weddings
• Garden Weddings
• Waterfront Weddings

Yacht StarShip

Advertisement

SpaceX Blazes Forward With Latest Starship Launch

• Share full article

SpaceX Launches Starship for Third Time

The rocket, a version of which will eventually carry nasa astronauts to the moon, traveled almost halfway around the earth before it was lost as it re-entered the atmosphere..

“Five, four, three, two, three, one.” “This point, we’ve already passed through Max-Q, maximum dynamic pressure. And passing supersonic, so we’re now moving faster than the speed of sound. Getting those on-board views from the ship cameras. Boosters now making its way back, seeing six engines ignited on ship. Kate, we got a Starship on its way to space and a booster on the way back to the Gulf.” “Oh, man. I need a moment to pick my jaw up from the floor because these views are just stunning.”

By Kenneth Chang

• March 14, 2024

The third try turned out to be closer to the charm for Elon Musk and SpaceX, as his company’s mammoth Starship rocket launched on Thursday and traveled about halfway around the Earth before it was lost as it re-entered the atmosphere.

The test flight achieved several key milestones in the development of the vehicle, which could alter the future of space transportation and help NASA return astronauts to the moon.

This particular flight was not, by design, intended to make it all the way around the Earth. At 8:25 a.m. Central time, Starship — the biggest and most powerful rocket ever to fly — lifted off from the coast of South Texas. The ascent was smooth, with the upper Starship stage reaching orbital velocities. About 45 minutes after launch, it started re-entering the atmosphere, heading toward a belly-flop splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Live video, conveyed in near real-time via SpaceX’s Starlink satellites , showed red-hot gases heating the underside of the vehicle. Then, 49 minutes after launch, communications with Starship ended, and SpaceX later said the vehicle had not survived the re-entry, presumably disintegrating and falling into the ocean.

Even so, Bill Nelson, the administrator of NASA, congratulated SpaceX on what he called a “successful test flight” of the system his agency is counting on for some of its Artemis lunar missions.

SpaceX aims to make both the vehicle’s lower rocket booster and the upper spacecraft stage capable of flying over and over again — a stark contrast to the single-launch throwaway rockets that have been used for most of the space age.

That reusability gives SpaceX the potential to drive down the cost of lofting satellites and telescopes, as well as people and the things they need to live in space.

Completing most of the short jaunt was a reassuring validation that the rocket’s design appears to be sound. Not only is Starship crucial for NASA’s lunar plans, it is the key to Mr. Musk’s pipe dream of sending people to live on Mars.

For Mr. Musk, the success also harks back to his earlier reputation as a technological visionary who led breakthrough advances at Tesla and SpaceX, a contrast with his troubled purchase of Twitter and the polarizing social media quagmire that has followed since he transformed the platform and renamed it X. Even as SpaceX launched its next-generation rocket, the social media company was dueling with Don Lemon , a former CNN anchor who was sharing clips from a combative interview with Mr. Musk.

SpaceX still needs to pull off a series of formidable rocketry firsts before Starship is ready to head to the moon and beyond. Earlier this week, Mr. Musk said he hoped for at least six more Starship flights this year, during which some of those experiments may occur.

But if it achieves them all, the company could again revolutionize the space transportation business and leave competitors far behind.

Phil Larson, a White House space adviser during the Obama administration who also previously worked on communication efforts at SpaceX, said Starship’s size and reusability had “massive potential to change the game in transportation to orbit. And it could enable whole new classes of missions.”

NASA is counting on Starship to serve as the lunar lander for Artemis III, a mission that will take astronauts to the surface of the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. That journey is currently scheduled for late 2026 but seems likely to slide to 2027 or later.

The third flight was a marked improvement from the first two launch attempts.

Last April, Starship made it off the launchpad, but a cascade of engine failures and fires in the booster led to the rocket’s destruction 24 miles above the Gulf of Mexico.

In November, the second Starship launch traveled much farther. All 33 engines in the Super Heavy booster worked properly during ascent, and after a successful separation, the upper Starship stage nearly made it to orbital velocities. However, both stages ended up exploding.

Nonetheless, Mr. Musk hailed both test flights as successes, as they provided data that helped engineers improve the design.

Thursday’s launch — which coincided with the 22nd anniversary of the founding of SpaceX — occurred 85 minutes into a 110-minute launch window. The 33 engines in the booster ignited at the launch site outside Brownsville, Texas, and lifted the rocket, which was as tall as a 40-story building, into the morning sky.

Most of the flight proceeded smoothly, and a number of test objectives were achieved during the flight, like opening and closing the spacecraft’s payload doors, which will be needed to deliver cargo in the future.

SpaceX did not attempt to recover the booster this time, but did have it perform engine burns that will be needed to return to the launch site. However, the final landing burn for the booster, conducted over the Gulf of Mexico, did not fully succeed — an area that SpaceX will attempt to fix for future flights.

SpaceX said the Super Heavy disintegrated at an altitude of about 1,500 feet.

SpaceX engineers will also have to figure out why Starship did not survive re-entry and make fixes to the design of the vehicle.

Even with the partial success of Thursday’s flight, Starship is far from ready to go to Mars, or even the moon. Because of Mr. Musk’s ambitions for Mars, Starship is much larger and much more complicated than what NASA needs for its Artemis moon landings. For Artemis III, two astronauts are to spend about a week in the South Pole region of the moon.

“He had the low price,” Daniel Dumbacher, the executive director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a former high-level official at NASA, said of Mr. Musk, “and NASA chose to take the risk associated with that configuration hoping that it would work out. And we’ll see if that turns out to be true.”

To leave Earth’s orbit, Starship must have its propellant tanks refilled with liquid methane and liquid oxygen. That will require a complex choreography of additional Starship launches to take the propellants to orbit.

“This is a complicated, complicated problem, and there’s a lot that has to get sorted out, and a lot that has to work right,” Mr. Dumbacher said.

Thursday’s flight included an early test of that technology, moving liquid oxygen from one tank to another within Starship.

Mr. Dumbacher does not expect Starship to be ready by September 2026, the launch date NASA currently has for Artemis III, although he would not predict how much of a delay there might be. “I’m not going to give you a guess because there is way too much work, way too many problems to solve,” he said.

Kenneth Chang , a science reporter at The Times, covers NASA and the solar system, and research closer to Earth. More about Kenneth Chang

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Starship, the largest rocket ever made, successfully launched

Geoff Brumfiel

SpaceX's third launch attempt of Starship took the spacecraft farther and higher than ever before.

ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:

Today in Texas, the largest rocket ever made lifted off from its launch pad.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Five, four...

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Two, one.

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: ...Three, two, one.

SCHMITZ: The rocket was built by SpaceX. This was its third test flight with no crew on board, and although the spaceship did not make it back to Earth as planned, it's still being called a success. Joining me now to discuss why is NPR science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel. Hey, Geoff.

GEOFF BRUMFIEL, BYLINE: Hi, Rob.

SCHMITZ: So, Geoff, first off, just walk me through what happened this morning.

BRUMFIEL: Yeah. So this spacecraft is called Starship. It's a huge, towering, stainless steel monster. It took off. It separated from its booster. It sailed into orbit. And this was a huge first. There was so much excitement.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: We heard a callout for nominal orbital insertion, which is incredible. Look at these views, Dad.

SCHMITZ: Wow. Nominal orbital insertion never sounded so triumphant.

BRUMFIEL: (Laughter) Yeah. Yeah. That's right. And they were using SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation to broadcast these high-definition views from space that were really quite amazing. As it was falling back to Earth over the Indian Ocean, though, SpaceX lost contact, and they think it was destroyed.

SCHMITZ: So do we know what went wrong?

BRUMFIEL: Well, Starship was in the process of reentering the Earth's atmosphere, and this is one of the hardest things for any spacecraft to do. You could actually see on the video feed as this red-hot plasma gas built up around the body of the ship. I spoke to Paulo Lozano. He's a rocket scientist at MIT, and he said that the heat got even worse after the video feed cut out.

PAULO LOZANO: We didn't see the most violent phase of the reentry, when the velocity of the vehicle starts to actually go down because friction increases significantly.

BRUMFIEL: Now, Starship had some thermal tiles to help with that frictional heating, but clearly it wasn't enough, and the spacecraft probably broke into pieces.

SCHMITZ: So SpaceX is still calling this mission a success. Why is that, if the spaceship was destroyed?

BRUMFIEL: You know, it turns out rocket science is kind of tricky. Lozano said he was really impressed by this test.

LOZANO: I think it went very well.

BRUMFIEL: And that's because so many things went right. You know, the first stage of this rocket has 33 engines that have to fire all at once. The first time they tried that, it did not go well. The engines failed. The rocket spun out of control. The second time they tried to launch, in November, the Starship itself actually caught fire and self-destructed. So, yeah, things didn't go perfectly. But this is the way SpaceX makes progress.

LOZANO: I'm pretty sure that people are going to learn significant lessons from what happened today and maybe for the next launch.

SCHMITZ: So lessons learned. Looking forward, where is all of this headed?

BRUMFIEL: Well, SpaceX has a long way to go before they can call this whole Starship program a success. That's because what they're aiming for here is a highly reusable giant launch vehicle, and they want to use it for all sorts of things. They want to launch more Starlink satellites. NASA wants them to take astronauts to the moon. And ultimately, the big prize here is Mars. Elon Musk wants Starship to take people to colonize Mars. But I think there's a long way to go before they get to the red planet. This is just one little step.

SCHMITZ: That's NPR science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel. Thanks, Geoff.

BRUMFIEL: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF STARSHIP SONG, "NOTHING'S GONNA STOP US NOW")

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

• International

SpaceX launches Starship rocket on third test flight

By Jackie Wattles and Adrienne Vogt , CNN

Starship’s goal? Take humans to the moon and Mars

SpaceX — and NASA — have huge goals for this rocket.

NASA wants to use Starship to carry out the final leg of the journey to put astronauts back on the moon for the first time in five decades as part of its Artemis program. The space agency gave SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract in 2021 to get the job done, and it inked another $1 billion deal after that.

Starship is also the linchpin of SpaceX's goal of getting humans to Mars. The company's founding purpose is to make humans a multi-planetary species, sending them to live on other planets in case Earth becomes unsuitable for life.

That task would require a truly massive rocket.

“We are trying to build something that is capable of creating a permanent base on the moon and a city on Mars — that's why it is so large," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in October.

Whether that goal is feasible — economically, technologically and politically — remains to be seen. But Musk and SpaceX have garnered a diehard fanbase rallied around the idea.

Other items on the agenda for Starship:

• Send paying customers (or space tourists) on trips to deep space. At least one customer — a Japanese billionaire — is already signed up.
• Launch batches of SpaceX's Starlink satellites, which beam internet service across the globe.
• Potentially launch new scientific instruments, such as space-based telescopes.

Starship cuts its engines, entering a coasting phase

The Starship spacecraft made it through its entire engine burn, shutting down its engines about 9 minutes into flight.

The vehicle is traveling at speeds roughly fast enough to enter orbit — but it's not aiming for orbit today. It's just on a flight test.

This marks a massive milestone and is undoubtedly a win for SpaceX, which had lost both the spacecraft and rocket booster by this point on both prior test flights.

"We're farther than we've ever been before," Dan Huot, a SpaceX communications manager said.

The booster just landed — but it's not clear how well it went

The Super Heavy booster just hit the water. Not many of its engines were firing when it hit the water.

SpaceX said it's working to get a shot of how things went down. This is farther into flight than a Super Heavy booster has previously made it.

On the last two flights, Super Heavy was destroyed mid-air before it had a chance to try out landing maneuvers.

Starship Super Heavy booster is heading back for landing

The Super Heavy booster that provided the initial thrust of power at liftoff — sending deafening waves of noise across the South Texas launch site — is now heading back for a (hopefully) controlled landing in the ocean.

The Starship spacecraft, meanwhile, is using its own engines to continue propelling itself faster.

The booster will be discarded in the ocean, but SpaceX is hoping to test out some maneuvers on this flight to pave the way for recovering the booster in the future.

The overall goal is to eventually develop a rocket system that can be entirely reused — from top to bottom.

Starship makes it through hot staging

From CNN's Jackie Wattles

The Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket booster just made it through a crucial moment in the mission: stage separation.

That's when Super Heavy shut down its engines, as the rocket booster has now burned through most of its fuel.

Starship then ignited its own engines and thrust itself away from the Super Heavy booster in a maneuver SpaceX calls "hot staging."

Hot staging is essentially pushing the Starship booster away from Super Heavy by way of blunt force trauma.

What is "hot staging"?

SpaceX is once again putting Starship through a fascinating test.

It's called "hot staging," which is a method for separating the Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket after liftoff when Super Heavy has burned through most of its fuel and is ready to break away.

Almost all rockets go through a process during launch called "stage separation," in which the bottommost rocket booster diverges from the rest of the rocket or spacecraft.

When SpaceX launches its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, for example, the first-stage booster — or the bottommost portion of the rocket — breaks away from the upper part of the rocket less than 3 minutes into flight.

The Falcon 9 does so using “ pneumatic pushers " that are housed within the rocket's interstage. That's the black band that can be seen around the middle of the Falcon 9.

Starship, however, won't use pneumatic pushers. Instead, the Starship spacecraft will simply fire up its own engines to push itself away from the Super Heavy booster.

Essentially, it's separation by blunt force trauma.

Starship's interstage has some large vents installed to direct the blow of the engines — aiming to make this method safe for the booster.

Hot staging was a huge point of interest during the last test flight, as SpaceX hadn't tried such a method before.

Ultimately, the hot-staging attempt in November appeared to work.

Starship's next attempt at hot staging should occur 2 minutes and 44 seconds into the mission.

Starships endures Max Q — a key milestone

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket just hit “ Max Q ,” an aerospace term that refers to the point during flight at which a vehicle experiences its maximum dynamic pressure.

Put simply: It’s when the rocket is moving at very high speed, at a time when the atmosphere is still pretty thick, putting a lot of pressure on the vehicle. 

We have liftoff!

The Starship spacecraft's Super Heavy rocket booster just roared to life, giving off a deafening burst of sound across the South Texas landscape.

The Super Heavy booster is packed with 33 massive Raptor rocket engines that give the vehicle its initial burst of power off the launchpad.

The booster will fire for about two minutes and 42 seconds before the upper Starship spacecraft is expected to break away and continue the flight on its own.

Starship's launchpad is as bizarre as it looks

SpaceX's launchpad at Starbase — the name of the company's sprawling facility that has popped up by the Gulf of Mexico at the southernmost tip of Texas �� has some unique features.

The large metal arms that look like they're giving the rocket a hug aren't a typical launchpad feature. SpaceX has a unique plan for this structure, which CEO Elon Musk has dubbed "Mechazilla."

Eventually, SpaceX hopes these arms will catch the Starship spacecraft mid-air as it flies back home from a trip to space.

SpaceX already has extensive experience recovering the boosters of its Falcon 9 rockets after flight. The Falcon 9 uses its engines, a set of hardware called grid fins, to steer itself, and four legs attached to the base to make a gentle landing back on terra firma or on a seafaring platform called a droneship.

SpaceX has perfected the maneuver, with more than 260 booster landings under its belt. (And that doesn't even count Falcon Heavy booster landings .)

The main difference for Starship is that — instead of relying on landing legs — SpaceX plans to fly the rocket booster straight into Mechazilla's giant metal arms, catching it before it hits the ground.

SpaceX won't attempt to land Starship or the Super Heavy booster today. Both will instead be discarded into the ocean.

But, before it hits the water, SpaceX will attempt to test out a landing maneuver by reigniting Super Heavy's engines.

Later, the Starship spacecraft may attempt something similar, making use of a belly flop maneuver as it heads in for landing over an hour into its flight.

Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Prepares Third Launch Of Massive Starship Rocket—How To Watch And Why It Matters

S paceX is set to launch its Starship rocket on Thursday morning for a third test flight, after previous missions ended in flames and a huge milestone in Elon Musk’s ambitions to send humans to Mars that could ultimately pave the way for future lunar missions and a base on the moon.

The massive Starship rocket is set to launch from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, which does not have an official viewing site but launches can reportedly be seen from nearby beaches.

Liftoff is expected around 7 a.m. Central Time (8 a.m. ET, 5 a.m. PT), the beginning of a 110-minute launch window.

A live webcast of the launch will be available to watch on SpaceX’s website and its channel on X , the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

SpaceX said the livestream will begin about 30 minutes before liftoff, around 6:30 a.m. CT (7:30 a.m. ET, 5:30 a.m. PT).

The flight marks the third test run of SpaceX’s Starship rocket and is set to blast the rocket into space before returning to Earth and splashing down somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX said the mission will hopefully include firing one of Starship’s Raptor engines in space for the first time; opening and closing the rocket’s payload door; an in-flight propellant transfer; and demonstrate “a controlled reentry” back to Earth from space.

Why Is Spacex’s Third Starship Test Important?

Standing at around 400 feet tall, Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever developed. It is central to Elon Musk and SpaceX’s ambitions of ferrying cargo, and eventually humans, to the moon, Mars and beyond and the rocket is expected to play a key role in NASA’s plans to return American astronauts to the moon. SpaceX says the vehicle will be able to “carry up to 100 people on long-duration, interplanetary flights,” help deliver satellites and enable “the development of a moon base” when finished and it is intended as the first reusable rocket, which would drastically lower the costs associated with reaching space. The company said the launch “aims to build on what we’ve learned” from previous test flights. Though both of these ended in fire—the first damaged the launch pad when it exploded seconds after launch and the second blew up shortly after separation, which the company described as “a rapid unscheduled disassembly”—they were hailed as a success by the company and scientists, who said the data gathered will be invaluable for improving the rocket. “This rapid iterative development approach has been the basis for all of SpaceX’s major innovative advancements, including Falcon, Dragon, and Starlink,” SpaceX said. “Recursive improvement is essential as we work to build a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, help humanity return to the Moon, and ultimately travel to Mars and beyond.”

Further Reading

Yacht StarShip

• See all photos

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Yacht StarShip - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Locally owned and operated for 23 years

Tampa Menus

Clearwater Menus

Set Sail with Yacht StarShip

Accessibility Toolbar

• Powered with favorite Love by Codenroll