Starship· guided tour

Grid Fins

the steering fins

Four waffle-shaped fins fold flat against the booster during launch, then swing out to steer it back down, the same job Falcon 9’s do.

How many
4
Material
Stainless steel
Mass each
~3 t
How it works

Falcon 9’s fins are titanium. Starship’s are stainless steel instead, to match the rest of the booster, and they are far bigger: about 3 tonnes each, heavier than a small car.

For the grown-up

Electrically actuated (Falcon 9 uses hydraulics), and mounted on the interstage rather than the very top of the booster, giving them more leverage over the vehicle’s attitude during the supersonic and transonic phases of descent.

SpaceX Starship