Starship’s size compared to Saturn V is a frequent question, so COMPARE.EDU.VN provides a detailed comparison to understand the differences between these two space giants. We’ll explore dimensions, power, and capabilities, offering a clear perspective on which rocket reigns supreme in the new space age, while considering key factors like reusability and cost-effectiveness. Explore in-depth insights, including payload capacity and engine technology, as we analyze the specifications and future potential of both Saturn V and Starship.
1. Wernher von Braun vs. Elon Musk: A Battle of Visionaries
Wernher von Braun, the mastermind behind the Saturn V rocket, led the team that engineered this monumental machine, serving as the “father” of modern space rocketry. His V-2 missile from the 1940s laid the groundwork for the first space launch vehicles, including Redstone and R-7, thus setting the stage for the space race.
In the early 1960s, following the Soviet Union’s launch of the first human into space, President Kennedy set the ambitious goal of landing astronauts on the Moon. With his extensive knowledge, experience, charisma, and unwavering belief in space exploration, von Braun was perfectly positioned to design the lunar rocket.
While Elon Musk may not have an engineering background in rocketry, his leadership, vision, and innovative spirit, combined with cutting-edge technology, have enabled him to assemble and lead a team capable of achieving extraordinary feats. Starship could very well become his crowning achievement, and in this article, we aim to demonstrate why.
Alt: Wernher von Braun standing in front of the massive Saturn V rocket.
2. Saturn V: Understanding Its Legacy
Launched 60 years ago, Saturn V has a storied launch history. From 1967 to 1973, it executed twelve Apollo launches and delivered the first American space station, Skylab, to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). In the Apollo missions, the rocket used a three-stage configuration with a three-seat manned Apollo spacecraft, while the Skylab mission employed a two-stage version, where the Skylab orbital workshop replaced the third stage. At launch, the five first-stage engines generated 7.5 million pounds of thrust to lift the rocket off the pad and carry it to a height of 42 miles. Subsequently, the first stage detached and fell into the Atlantic Ocean. The second stage operated for 9 minutes and 9 seconds, after which it was also discarded, and the single third-stage engine was activated. It burned for 11 minutes and 39 seconds to gain sufficient speed to reach near-Earth orbit. Approximately two and a half hours later, the third-stage engine ignited again to propel the Apollo spacecraft from Earth’s orbit toward the Moon. After Apollo docked with the lunar lander, the third stage was disconnected and either drifted through space or was directed to make an emergency landing on the lunar surface.
3. Key Differences: Starship Compared to Saturn V
Starship is similar in composition to NASA’s classics. It is also a multi-stage vertical launch system, but with enhanced capabilities. SpaceX Starship will be able not only to transport astronauts to the Moon and back but also to fly to Mars and other planets in our solar system, while the Saturn V’s primary objective was to place the Apollo spacecraft on a trans-lunar trajectory.
The Super Heavy booster plays the role of Saturn V, while the Starship Spacecraft performs the role of Apollo. Furthermore, both will be reusable with the potential for controlled jet landings. The spacecraft itself will be available in four variants: Starship Crew, Cargo, Tanker, and Lunar Lander.
3.1. Saturn V vs Starship: Mission Versatility
The Starship Crew will feature 1,100 m3 of pressurized space with crew quarters for 100, common areas, warehouses, a kitchen, and a solar flare shelter. The Starship Tanker will be able to repeatedly refuel the ship in orbit, and the Lunar lander will be able to transport crew and cargo from Earth orbit to the Gateway lunar station, land on the lunar surface and return to the station. Saturn V can only be compared directly vs Starship Cargo, but even here, the possibilities of the latter are much higher. It will be able to fly far beyond Earth’s orbit, landing and taking off from the Moon and other planets.
The only downside to Starship vs Saturn V is that it hasn’t flown anywhere yet. But SpaceX is actively testing its brainchild and promises the first commercial mission as soon as next year. Now let’s look at the differences between the two systems in more detail, based on the data from the comparison table above.
Alt: An artist’s depiction of the SpaceX Starship in orbit around Earth.
4. Is Starship Taller Than Saturn V?
Starship is slightly taller than Saturn V. Starship measures 121 meters (397 feet), while Saturn V stands at 110.6 meters (363 feet). Though the difference may seem minor, the added height allows Starship to accommodate a significant payload module.
4.1. Dimensions Matter: Starship’s Advantage
The Starship accommodates a payload module with a height of 18 meters (59 feet) and a volume of 1100 cubic meters, which can house both crew and cargo. This is the largest usable volume among all former, current, and planned space installations.
5. Weight Comparison: Is Starship Heavier Than Saturn V?
Starship weighs more than Saturn V by over 100 tons in dry weight, excluding fuel. Specifically, Starship has a dry mass of 300,000 kg (661,387 lbs), while Saturn V has a dry mass of 187,566 kg (413,515 lbs).
5.1. Weight Considerations
The total mass of Starship includes the Super Heavy Booster and Spacecraft without payload, while the Saturn V’s weight reflects the rocket without the Apollo spacecraft. Even when considering Apollo’s weight (44 tons), Starship remains significantly heavier, highlighting its robust design and enhanced capabilities.
6. Power Dynamics: How Much More Powerful Is Starship Compared to Saturn V?
When comparing Starship Super Heavy vs Saturn V, the power difference is substantial. The Super Heavy Booster, equipped with 33 Raptor 2 engines, delivers 75,315 kN of thrust to deliver 220 tons to LEO, which is the weight of a fully loaded 50-meter steel Starship spacecraft.
6.1. Thrust and Payload Capacity
The Saturn V carried the 90-ton Skylab space station to LEO using ten engines with a total thrust of 40,000 kN. This means the Starship booster is almost twice as powerful as the entire Saturn V rocket, allowing for greater payload capacity and mission potential.
Alt: A dynamic view of the Saturn V rocket launching during an Apollo mission.
7. Environmental Impact: Starship vs Saturn V
Both carriers use liquid chemical propellants, which are common in rocket launchers due to their relative affordability and high specific impulse. Starship uses liquid methane, while Saturn V used kerosene in the first stage and liquid hydrogen in the 2nd and 3rd stages. Liquid oxygen serves as the oxidizing agent in both cases.
7.1. Fuel Efficiency and Environmental Friendliness
Liquid methane has advantages in terms of production cost and efficiency, with methane engines being 20% more efficient compared to kerosene engines. Methane can also be mined on Mars, meaning that Starship will not need to carry fuel to return to Earth. In terms of environmental friendliness, Starship and Saturn V are approximately the same. Methane is more environmentally friendly than kerosene but more toxic than hydrogen. The amount of fuel burned in one launch is also nearly the same. However, Saturn V is 60 years older than Starship. The Saturn V is pretty green for its age, while the Starship is not green enough, considering space industry technological advances over the past decades.
Alternatives such as fuels based on ammonium perchlorate or heptyl are significantly inferior in safety, and other rocket fuels have not been invented yet. Many young aerospace companies promise to use green rocket fuels. For example, Orbex Prime will run on BioLPG biopropane, which reduces carbon emissions by 90% compared to old-fashioned hydrocarbons, and Skyrora XL will use Ecosene, a type of kerosene obtained from the processing of plastic waste.
8. Reusability: A Game-Changer
Saturn V’s age is a significant factor in this regard. Reusing rocket stages was not feasible in the 1960s. It wasn’t until the early 80s that NASA developed reusable solid-propellant side boosters for its Space Shuttle. SpaceX began testing the return of its first stage for reuse in 2013 and has greatly succeeded with this endeavor. The company claims that the Falcon 9 first stage can be reused from 5 to 10 times, significantly reducing launch costs.
8.1. SpaceX’s Reusable Technology
SpaceX plans to use similar technology with Starship. Super Heavy will make a controlled landing on a platform and, after minor repairs and refueling, launch the payload into orbit again. This reusability dramatically cuts down on mission costs and resources.
Alt: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster successfully landing on a drone ship.
9. Cost Analysis: Starship vs Saturn V
Saturn V remains not only the most powerful but also the most expensive launch vehicle in the world. Fifty billion dollars was spent on its development (adjusted for inflation), and one launch cost 1.3 billion dollars. According to Elon Musk, the creation of Starship has cost about $5 billion to date, and its launch will cost less than any other rocket: about two million dollars.
9.1. Economic Viability
The drastically lower cost of Starship compared to Saturn V makes it a far more economically viable option for future space missions. This cost-effectiveness could revolutionize space exploration and make interplanetary travel more accessible.
10. Starship vs Saturn V: A Spec-by-Spec Comparison
Let’s summarize our comparison in the following table:
| Specs | Saturn V | Starship |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Boeing, North American, Douglas Aircraft | SpaceX |
| Purpose | Moon Landing | Interplanetary flights, including to Mars and the Moon |
| Height | 110.6 m | 121 m |
| Diameter | 10.1 m | 9 m |
| Dry Mass | 187,566 kg | 300,000 kg |
| Stages | 3 | 2 |
| Engines | 1st Stage — 5 Rocketdyne F-1 (RP1/LOX) 2nd Stage — 5 Rocketdyne J-2 (LH1/LOX) 3rd Stage — 1 Rocketdyne J-2 (LH1/LOX) | Super Heavy booster — 33 SpaceX Raptor-2 (CH4/LOX) Starship spacecraft — 3 Raptor-2, 3 Raptor Vacuum (CH4/LOX) |
| Propellent capacity | 1st Stage — 1,970,000 litres 2nd Stage — 1,287,000 litres 3rd Stage — 326,030 litres | Super Heavy — 3,400,000 litres Starship spacecraft — 1,200,000 litres |
| Payload capacity | 140 t to LEO 43.5 t to Trans-Lunar Injection | 100 – 150 t orbit dependent (reusable version), 250 t (expendable version) |
| Development cost | $50 billion (in 2020) | $5 billion |
| Reusability | No | Fully reusable |
| Launches | 13 (all successful) | Testing phase |
11. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
11.1. How does Starship compare to Saturn V in terms of height?
Starship stands at 121 meters, making it slightly taller than Saturn V, which measures 110.6 meters.
11.2. What is the primary purpose of Starship compared to Saturn V?
Starship is designed for interplanetary flights, including missions to Mars and the Moon, while Saturn V was primarily built for Moon landings.
11.3. How does the payload capacity of Starship compare to Saturn V?
Starship has a payload capacity of 100-150 tons to LEO in its reusable version and 250 tons in its expendable version, whereas Saturn V could carry 140 tons to LEO and 43.5 tons to Trans-Lunar Injection.
11.4. What type of engines does Starship use compared to Saturn V?
Starship uses SpaceX Raptor-2 engines that run on methane and liquid oxygen, while Saturn V used Rocketdyne F-1 and J-2 engines that ran on kerosene and liquid hydrogen.
11.5. How does the reusability of Starship compare to Saturn V?
Starship is fully reusable, designed to land and relaunch, whereas Saturn V was not reusable.
11.6. What is the estimated launch cost of Starship compared to Saturn V?
The estimated launch cost of Starship is around $2 million, significantly less than Saturn V, which cost $1.3 billion per launch.
11.7. How does Starship’s dry mass compare to Saturn V’s?
Starship has a dry mass of 300,000 kg, making it heavier than Saturn V, which has a dry mass of 187,566 kg.
11.8. What is the total propellant capacity of Starship compared to Saturn V?
Starship’s Super Heavy booster and spacecraft have a combined propellant capacity of 4,600,000 litres, whereas Saturn V’s three stages had a combined capacity of 3,583,030 litres.
11.9. How does the development cost of Starship compare to Saturn V?
The development of Starship has cost around $5 billion, while Saturn V cost $50 billion (in 2020 dollars).
11.10. How many launches did Saturn V have, and how does that compare to Starship?
Saturn V had 13 successful launches, whereas Starship is currently in the testing phase with no official launches yet.
12. Another Giant Leap for Mankind
While Saturn V has passed into history, it will forever be remembered as the first rocket to deliver humans to the Moon. It was worth every penny! We hope that SpaceX Starship will make similar history as the first vehicle to carry humans to Mars.
Alt: A futuristic rendering of SpaceX Starship landing on the surface of Mars.
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