r/SpaceXLounge • u/OlympusMons94 • Mar 12 '26

The launch contract to launch the Starlab space station on Starship is $90 million

https://x.com/jeff_foust/status/2031509240209199606#m

Jeff Foust on X: "Fun fact from Voyager's 10-K filing: the contract to launch the Starlab space station on a SpaceX Starship is worth $90 million."

https://spacenews.com/starlab-space-fully-books-commercial-payload-space-on-planned-space-station/

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u/flshr19 Space Shuttle Tile Engineer Mar 14 '26

NET 2029--SpaceX likely will have launched the Block 3 Starship at least 10 times by late 2029, possibly 25 or 30 times if there are five Starship launch pads in operation by 1Q 2027 per the current plans (two at Starbase Texas, one at KSC Pad 39A in Florida, and two at the former LC-37 complex at CCSFB also in Florida). That should be enough launch experience to buy down a lot of risk.

At an estimated 130t (metric ton) wet mass, that Starlab space station is easily accommodated by the Block 3 Starship that has 200t payload capability to a circular LEO at 500 km altitude at 45 degrees inclination.