SpaceX's Starship V2 Vs. V1: What's The Difference?

Earlier this year, SpaceX unveiled the new version of its Starship, termed the "V2 Starship" by Elon Musk. The V1 Starship was the prototype that gave engineers the information they needed to develop the new V2. SpaceX's upgraded prototype aims to fix some of V1's worst flaws, including "unscheduled disassembly."

Some of the changes are immediately obvious, such as the height increase. The V2 comes in at 171 feet (52.1m), a 6-foot increase from the V1's 165 feet (50.3m). The extra height creates room for more propellant; approximately 300 additional metric tons of it. More importantly, the V2 cut its empty mass from 100 metric tons to 85 metric tons while expanding its fuel capacity from 1,200 metric tons to 1,500 metric tons.

Rockets live or die by their mass ratio, which is the relationship between propellant weight and dry weight. Dropping 15 tons of structural weight while adding 300 tons of fuel gives the V2 better margins for orbital burns and landing. The lighter structure means there's more fuel available for re-entry, and it has more capacity for payloads, which translates to better performance on actual missions, rather than just test flights. After analyzing the V1's test flights, engineers were able to figure out problems with heat management and handling during re-entry, especially the craft's aerodynamic stability. Using this data, the V2 improves on those design problems, fixing those weak points.

The forward flaps on the V2 changed significantly compared to the V1. Originally, they were thicker, with the V2 flaps being slimmer, saving on weight, and being aligned differently (at 140 degrees, compared to 180 degrees in the case of its predecessor). The flaps were also moved to the leeward side (the protected side during re-entry) to avoid direct heat. Starship V1 demonstrated a problem during hypersonic flight that this change solves.

Starship V1 had conical domes between propellant tanks, but these have been replaced by elliptical domes in V2. Propulsion delivery has also changed, with V2 opting for separate downcomers for the three Raptor Vacuum engines as opposed to V1's single shared channel. The three center Raptor engines still share one downcomer, but giving the vacuum engines individual fuel feeds makes it less likely that a single point of failure will affect multiple of the six Raptor engines during sustained burns. The result is better fuel flow and engine feed reliability.

Thrust vector control systems also changed, with V2 replacing the hydraulic control systems and all its related machinery with electric ones. The design of the V2 ends up a lot cleaner and simpler than the V1. Observation of flights one to four gave hints of what needed to be changed. Heat shielding and engine feed systems were identified as potential failure points, and V2's design addresses those shortcomings.

Despite it being an upgrade, V2 was never meant to stick around. Flight 11 in October 2025 was V2's last one, and SpaceX has already moved towards developing and testing V3. Rapid development times are standard for the company, so this isn't really a surprise. V2 allowed SpaceX to adjust its expectations.

Originally, V2 was slated to carry a 100 metric ton (220,000 lbs.) payload, but this was revised to 35 metric tons (77,000 lbs.), showing just how difficult engineering a spacecraft like this is. Still, the revised payload is a major jump from V1's demonstration-only capabilities. The biggest change between V1 and V2 comes from the manufacturing processes. V1's prototype-only jigs were replaced by new standardized versions. The construction itself shifted to SpaceX's new Starfactory facility, bringing with it better consistency and quality control. These improvements will carry over to V3.

The V2 was a stepping stone, but it proved that the premise for designing these spacecraft worked, and that it had the potential to change space travel forever. The V1 and V2 were built as experimental craft to validate SpaceX's approach. V2's successful re-entry and landing proved the design works, clearing the path for V3's operational missions. SpaceX selected Starship for NASA's Artemis lunar landings, and the company has Mars colonization as its ultimate goal. V2 was temporary, but it proved the spacecraft that will get there is viable.