SpaceX founder Elon Musk has shared few images showcasing the Super Heavy rocket that will help the Starship prototype escape Earth’s gravity. “Moving rocket to the orbital launch pad,” Musk tweeted accompanied by some photos showing the huge Super Heavy rocket dangling in the air from a crane.

Recently, he also shared some images showing the 29 Raptor engines installed on the rocket. All that power will be required to lift off the Starship – a spacecraft built to take humans to the Moon and eventually Mars.

Space ready to achieve its ambitions

Until now, SpaceX has only shown off Starship prototypes lift off on their own. The company uses 29 engines for the rocket, which is two more than used on Falcon Heavy launches. The Super Heavy leverages three Falcon 9 rockets, each packing nine Merlin engines. Raptors are designed to provide more than twice the thrust of each Merlin. That kind of power is needed to land on the moon and eventually Mars.

Going into orbit will be a huge step towards Musk’s vision of ambitious space exploration missions. SpaceX is said to ferry a group of artists around the Moon. The company also aims to take humans to Mars and colonize the planet. While the Starship and Super Heavy rocket required for those missions are well on their way, there’s no specific date set yet.

SpaceX wins huge NASA contract

SpaceX was recently awarded a huge NASA contract that will allow the space company to develop and send an orbiter to one of Jupiter’s icy moons – Europa. The company will make use of its Falcon Heavy rocket for the mission that is set to kick off on October 2024. The contract is said to be valued at $178 million.

The mission will be launched with the aim to provide a close look at Europa. It will enable astronomers back on Earth to gather compelling data from one of Jupiter’s many moons. When the spacecraft reaches the moon in 2030, the Europa Clipper orbiter will carry out a scientific study of the moon using scientific instruments aboard.