From Carbon Fiber to Steel
In the early stages of the Starship program (formerly BFR), SpaceX initially intended to use advanced carbon fiber composites. However, in late 2018, Elon Musk announced a radical pivot to 304L stainless steel. To understand why, we must look at the specific thermal environments a spacecraft faces: the extreme cold of liquid oxygen/methane storage and the extreme heat of atmospheric reentry.
The Problem with Carbon Fiber
Post time: Apr-09-2026
