What is the World’s Most Powerful Rocket?

Is it NASA's Space Launch System, or SpaceX's Starship? The answer depends on more than just total thrust.

NASA has three different configurations planned for the SLS. The first configuration, Block 1, will have a total thrust of 8.8 million pounds—15 percent more than that of the Saturn V rocket. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

SpaceX's Starship Super Heavy Booster significantly surpasses NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) in total thrust (17 million vs. 9.5 million pounds), is designed for full reusability, and projects dramatically lower launch costs.
The SLS, however, offers direct deep-space payload delivery without orbital refueling and is closer to operational status for its initial deep-space missions, featuring multiple planned configurations.
While Super Heavy generally leads in raw power and cost-efficiency through reusability, the article suggests the "world's most powerful rocket" title depends on specific mission requirements and overall operational success, leaving "time to be the ultimate judge."

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The 2020s are stacking up to be the next major era in space exploration, thanks to organizations like NASA and private space companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin.

As a result, humans are setting their sights on heavenly bodies once again. NASA and SpaceX are both actively developing capabilities to send humans back to the moon and Mars. NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and SpaceX’s Starship are currently the top contenders for getting us there, but one question remains for space enthusiasts across the globe—what is the world’s most powerful rocket?