The orbital starship completion date would only be three months behind are target that Elon Musk had hoped to achieve in January, 2019. An orbital launch of Starship in 2019 would achieve the aspirational goal that Elon had in January.

The SpaceX switch to stainless steel construction has enabled the rapid construction and testing of these rockets.

Development of the SpaceX Falcon 9 was announced in 2005 and it flew for its first commercial flight in 2010.

Other rocket makers like Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance are taking ten to twenty years to go from the start of rocket design to orbital test flights.

Elon Musk had targeted the Super Heavy Starship to reach orbit by 2020. In January, Elon had said the odds of making it to orbit by 2020 are at least 60% and rising rapidly.