Space

Why SpaceX’s giant Starship rocket is not worsening the fuel crisis — but may still raise profound climate questions.

• Starship uses liquid methane and liquid oxygen as propellant, not gasoline or diesel, so its launch fuel does not directly compete with road transportation fuels at the pump.
• A single Starship launch consumes approximately 4,800 metric tons of propellant, but global daily oil demand exceeds 100 million barrels—making rocket fuel demand negligible in the current crisis.
• Methane has a global warming potential 84 times greater than CO2 over 20 years, and any leakage during production or unburned methane in the exhaust raises significant climate concerns.