Elon Musk says Starship is SpaceX's 'top priority' from now on
He wants to 'dramatically' accelerate Starship's progress.
Don’t expect SpaceX to lavish much more attention on Crew Dragon now that it has launched people into orbit. CNBC said it had obtained email from Elon Musk asking staff to treat Starship as the “top SpaceX priority,” pushing them to “dramatically and immediately” speed up progress on the super-heavy rocket. About the only other focus is whatever can “reduce Dragon[’s] return risk,” Musk said.
Starship is meant to ultimately become SpaceX’s go-to rocket. It would not only have enough power for space tourism and long-distance trips, but represent a truly reusable rocket with fast turnaround times that make spaceflight more accessible. The rocket represents the future of the company — the string of explosions and other setbacks have effectively set back the company’s broader ambitions.
Provided the email is accurate, this doesn’t mean SpaceX will neglect existing projects. Crew Dragon may have ferried people to the International Space Station, but it has yet to enter regular service. You may, however, see them rapidly fade into the background as SpaceX pours its energy into its flagship project.
