Eighteen years ago today, the A380 superjumbo, the world’s largest passenger jet, completed its maiden flight. Once in service, the wide-bellied aircraft quickly became a favourite of air travellers, pipping rivals in multiple passenger surveys. Aviation insiders joked it was popular because it was rarely full, so even economy passengers could stretch out on long journeys. Sadly, a dearth of airline orders compelled Airbus to pull the plug on the jet in 2019.
Watching Elon Musk’s gigantic Starship lift off from Boca Chica in Texas last week, I could not help thinking about the empty seats on the A380.
Like the A380, Starship’s maiden flight marks the first step in a daring experiment (even if it failed to reach space). It is the world’s most powerful rocket and, if successful, will be able to carry up to 150 metric tons of payload into low-earth orbit. To put that in perspective, industry research and strategy group Euroconsult expects 9,100 tons to be lifted into space between 2022 and 2031. Assuming Starship manages to expand successfully to one launch a week, it could potentially deliver a decade’s worth of satellites in 14 months.