A Starcruiser for Space Force: Thinking Through the Imminent Transformation of Spacepower
The U.S. military has launched and operated Earth-orbiting satellites since the Discoverer 1 mission in March 1959. Despite this long-term presence in space, spacepower as a mature military discipline remains in its infancy. However, change is coming faster than many expect. The X-37B spacecraft — the first true military spaceplane — foreshadows the “end of the beginning” for military space as satellites, tiny spaceplanes, and single-use orbital boosters give way to massive fleets of very large, maneuverable, and reusable spacefaring vehicles.
Rapid advances in rocketry led by private space companies mean that the U.S. military may be able to reach orbit cheaply, refuel in orbit at low cost, and use this fuel to maneuver extensively once there. These new rockets will replace the X-37B and ultimately transform how the U.S. military understands spacepower. SpaceX’s new orbital vehicle, Starship, and its booster stage, Superheavy, exemplify these new spacecraft in that they are capable of lifting huge payloads to low Earth orbit and beyond frequently and at extremely low cost. With this vehicle now flying and landing, it is not too early for the U.S. military to think through the far-reaching military implications of the emergence of Starship-class vehicles for its future joint warfighting concepts.
Numerous technical challenges remain. Starship still needs to demonstrate that it can be reused after surviving landing and it has not yet achieved orbit. Superheavy is still under construction and will not fly until summer — and even then, with only three of its planned complement of 37 engines. Core capabilities such as orbital refueling, crucial to advanced maneuver above the atmosphere and central to unlocking commercial and military space, still need to be tested. However, many were skeptical that reusable rockets would ever be commercially viable. Yet such rockets transformed the global space access landscape. SpaceX is quickly working to overcome these remaining technical obstacles as well, recently landing Starship safely and tail first for the first time, and returning it to the pad within days for a possible second launch attempt.
