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SpaceX’s published figures range from more than 100 metric tons to low Earth orbit to 21 metric tons to a specified geostationary transfer orbit. Its much larger lunar and Mars surface figures depend on refueling in orbit and are stated capabilities—not completed cargo deliveries. The numbers also come from different sources and dates, so they should not be treated as a single guaranteed payload rating.
Starship payload capacity depends on the destination
SpaceX’s March 2020 Starship Users Guide, Revision 1.0 gives these headline estimates:
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| Destination | Published payload estimate | What the figure assumes or describes |
|---|---|---|
| Low Earth orbit (LEO) | 100+ metric tons | The guide says the baseline reusable design can deliver over 100 metric tons to LEO. It assumes full reuse, including Super Heavy returning to the launch site. |
| Geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) | 21 metric tons | A single-launch estimate for a specified orbit: 185 × 35,786 km, at 27-degree inclination, with 1,800 m/s of delta-v remaining. |
| Lunar surface | 100+ metric tons in the guide’s propellant-transfer column; up to 100 tons on SpaceX’s current Moon page | The larger figure depends on propellant transfer in orbit. These are company-stated capabilities, not evidence of a completed delivery. |
| Mars surface | 100+ metric tons in the guide’s propellant-transfer column | The guide lists no single-launch surface capacity (N/A) and places the 100+ metric-ton figure in its propellant-transfer column. |
The figures are not interchangeable. Reaching a higher-energy orbit or landing on another world requires a different mission profile from placing payload in LEO. SpaceX advises customers to request estimates for a specific orbit; the guide is a dated design reference, not a guaranteed schedule for a current vehicle configuration.
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SpaceX’s current Moon page says refueling enables Starship to carry up to 100 tons directly to the lunar surface. The 2020 Users Guide lists 100+ metric tons in the column for propellant transfer in parking orbit. The difference in wording and date matters: neither number is a universal rating for every lunar trajectory, vehicle version, or cargo configuration.
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Refueling is central to the claim. SpaceX describes tanker Starships refilling a vehicle in low Earth orbit before it departs for deep space. NASA’s Artemis III mission description likewise outlines a sequence involving a storage depot and tankers for the lunar lander. Those descriptions explain the architecture behind large payload claims; they do not establish that a particular cargo flight will deliver that mass.
How NASA’s cargo-lander estimate differs
NASA’s April 19, 2024 article on large cargo landers gives an expected surface payload of approximately 12 to 15 metric tons for cargo landers under development, with service no earlier than Artemis VII. This is a NASA program estimate for those landers, not a replacement for—or direct comparison with—the broader SpaceX performance claim.
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NASA’s Human Landing Systems overview describes work with SpaceX to develop Starship HLS to carry astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back for Artemis III and IV. That crewed landing system and NASA’s cargo-lander development are specific program contexts; neither should be mistaken for a demonstrated Starship cargo delivery.
How much payload can Starship take to Mars?
The 2020 Users Guide lists 100+ metric tons to the Mars surface in the propellant-transfer column, while marking single-launch surface capacity as N/A. That makes the transfer assumption essential: the guide does not present 100+ metric tons as a surface payload delivered on one unrefueled launch.
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SpaceX’s Mars & Beyond page describes future cargo flights to the Martian surface. Its current Starship page says such flights for research, development, and exploratory missions start no earlier than 2028, at a published rate of $100 million per metric ton. That is SpaceX’s stated timing and rate, not a guaranteed offer or confirmation that a flight has taken place.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What might count as cargo?
SpaceX names satellites, large space telescopes, and significant cargo as examples for orbit; for lunar missions it mentions rovers and habitats. NASA also identifies rovers and habitats among lunar cargo needs. These examples do not mean all such items fit together on one flight. A manifest depends on mass, dimensions, trajectory, destination, and vehicle configuration.
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Neither the cited official pages nor the published figures establish a specific Starship manifest already delivered to the Moon or Mars, a guaranteed payload for an individual future flight, or one capacity that applies to every evolving Starship version. Treat the figures as attributed estimates or plans, not operational delivery records.
Quick Recap
How to read a Starship payload number
- Check the destination. LEO, GTO, a lunar landing, and a Mars landing are distinct missions with different energy and landing requirements.
- Check whether refueling is assumed. The guide’s large lunar and Mars surface estimates appear in the propellant-transfer column, not as single-launch surface capacities.
- Check the source date and status. The detailed table is from SpaceX’s March 2020 guide; current SpaceX pages describe capabilities and future plans, while NASA’s cargo figure is a 2024 development estimate.
- Check what “payload” means for the mission. Mass alone does not settle whether a specific cargo fits or can be delivered on a particular trajectory and vehicle configuration.
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