Typical rocket tests will have dummy mass to simulate a payload (if not some high risk tolerance university project). This is ideal because you want to test as close as possible to the real thing, including things like stress on the vehicle supporting the payload mass. So a vehicle barely making to orbit without any payload mass isn't a great place to be. Starship is being developed differently than most rockets, so they have time to get to the better place, but they're still not where they have stated they expected to be.
Today's achievement was incredible, but it seems reasonable to temper the lofty statements previously made about this vehicle's immediate impact with statements of its actual capabilities.
Why? This is the worst version of starship and booster that will ever fly. It isn't unreasonable to look at the giant rocket factory they have produced and think "yeah, I reckon they will continue development at the lightning quick pace they always have done"
> This is the worst version of starship and booster that will ever fly.
That is true for any rocket.
Remember that Starship V1 was announced to have a payload margin of 150 tons to LEO, by around 2021 if I recall correctly. Now it's late 2026 and the payload is something like 50 tons. You may still call this "lightning fast", but it is far less progress than what we thought would happen several years ago.
The difference is the cadence. Also the rapid pace of development, they aren't afraid to change things and go through multiple blocks, getting data by flight testing and making improvements. Look at Vulcan Centaur and how long it has taken and compare it to Starship.
"ULA began development of the new launch vehicle in 2014, primarily to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and to comply with a Congressional mandate to phase out the use of the Russian-made RD-180 engine that powered the Atlas V. "
"The Vulcan Centaur conducted its first launch on January 8, 2024, carrying the Peregrine lunar lander as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Its second flight, conducted on October 4, 2024, as part of the U.S. Space Force's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) certification process, achieved its planned orbit despite the loss of a nozzle on one of the GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters, which resulted in reduced and asymmetrical thrust. Following a five-month review, the Space Force certified Vulcan for NSSL missions in March 2025. In February 2026, a second issue involving a solid rocket booster occurred, after which launches were paused pending investigation."
Centaur has flown 4 times since 2014. SpaceX began active development of the Starship program in 2018.
That is true for any rocket.
Remember that Starship V1 was announced to have a payload margin of 150 tons to LEO, by around 2021 if I recall correctly. Now it's late 2026 and the payload is something like 50 tons. You may still call this "lightning fast", but it is far less progress than what we thought would happen several years ago.
"ULA began development of the new launch vehicle in 2014, primarily to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and to comply with a Congressional mandate to phase out the use of the Russian-made RD-180 engine that powered the Atlas V. "
"The Vulcan Centaur conducted its first launch on January 8, 2024, carrying the Peregrine lunar lander as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Its second flight, conducted on October 4, 2024, as part of the U.S. Space Force's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) certification process, achieved its planned orbit despite the loss of a nozzle on one of the GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters, which resulted in reduced and asymmetrical thrust. Following a five-month review, the Space Force certified Vulcan for NSSL missions in March 2025. In February 2026, a second issue involving a solid rocket booster occurred, after which launches were paused pending investigation."
Centaur has flown 4 times since 2014. SpaceX began active development of the Starship program in 2018.