The powerful rocket's debut comes after a long series of delays and cost overruns.
If that mission is successful, SpaceX will have taken its super heavy-lift vehicle from the drawing board and into space in far less time than it took NASA to do the same with the SLS. SpaceX's goal is to build an entire fleet of Starships and launch multiple vehicles on a daily basis, at an average launch cost of $1 million or thereabouts.
Where has all that money been going? And, if Starship is more powerful, more capable, costs less and launches more often, will SLS be rendered obsolete the moment Starship becomes operational? For one thing, SLS development has engaged many different partners around the United States and the world. A map on NASA's website pinpoints contributing contractors in every U.S. state and over 20 partners across Europe.
So, what's the answer? SLS isn't going away anytime soon. The launch vehicles for Artemis missions 2 through 4 are already being assembled, even with the next Artemis mission two years away . But there is an argument to be made for the Artemis program as a whole.