Open Starship

Rocket launching into space at dusk
Research Series
Open Starship

Oleh Ivchenko1

1 Odesa National Polytechnic University (ONPU)

Focus
Fully reusable two-stage rockets, lunar missions, and reusability economics
Articles
15 planned
Started
April 2026
Status
Active — accepting submissions
15 articles planned · research@stabilarity.com
About This Series

Open Starship documents the engineering, economics, and policy of fully reusable two-stage rocket systems — modeled after SpaceX Starship but designed as an open scientific reference implementation. We analyze the Super Heavy booster (returning to launch site after separation) and Starship upper stage (capable of reaching lunar orbit, landing, and returning to Earth). Each article provides rigorous technical depth, original simulations, and cross-referenced public data from NASA, FAA, and SpaceX public filings.

Articles

No articles published yet. See the roadmap on GitHub for planned topics.

Simulation

Interactive Three.js simulation of the full mission profile — liftoff, stage separation, booster landing, trans-lunar injection, lunar orbit, and Earth return:

Open Starship Simulation →

Scope

  • Two-stage reusable rocket architecture (Super Heavy + Starship)
  • Raptor engine design: full-flow staged combustion, 3D printed components
  • Thermal protection: hexagonal tile heat shield system
  • Stage separation mechanisms: push vs pull decoupling
  • Boostback, re-entry, and precision landing trajectories
  • Orbital refueling and propellant depot architecture
  • Lunar transfer orbits: TLI, LOI, descent profiles
  • Reusability economics: cost per kg, turnaround time, amortization
  • Environmental impact: emissions, sonic boom, regulatory compliance
  • Point-to-point Earth transport feasibility

Editorial Standards

All articles undergo internal peer review. Minimum requirements: 3 original diagrams, interactive simulations, ≥80% citations from peer-reviewed or primary sources, DOI registration via Zenodo, and STABIL quality badge (trusted, DOI-verified, CrossRef-indexed, academically indexed sources).

GitHub Repository

The simulation code, diagrams, and roadmap are available on GitHub:
github.com/stabilarity/hub/research/open-starship

Submit or Suggest

Researchers and practitioners are welcome to suggest topics or contribute. Contact: research@stabilarity.com