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Germany Proposes RLV C5 as Starship Alternative

3/6/2026

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Story summary
  • Researchers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) propose the RLV C5 as a European alternative to SpaceX's Starship, which is currently operational.
  • The RLV C5 would use a winged booster.
  • It would employ an expendable upper stage and aim for a 74% usable payload by mass.
  • Starship can carry over 100 metric tons, while the RLV C5 could launch about 77 US tons.