SpaceX embarked on its Starship development journey in 2019, unveiling the steel test vehicle known as 'Starhopper.' This initial prototype, resembling a water tower, conducted short test flights to evaluate landing maneuvers, reaching altitudes of a few dozen meters.
Progressing from Starhopper, SpaceX transitioned to testing larger-scale Starship spacecraft prototypes, each designated with a serial number or 'SN.' Despite facing setbacks with four prototypes ending in explosions during landing attempts, the company achieved a significant milestone with a successful soft landing following a 10-kilometer test flight in May 2021.
