SpaceX's Starfall Tests Target On-Orbit Manufacturing and Fast Cargo Returns

SpaceX has FAA approval to test two Starfall reentry capsules for in-space manufacturing and rapid space-to-Earth cargo delivery. The 3.1-meter diameter, 2,100-kilogram capsules would reenter from orbit on Falcon 9 or Starship and splash down at sea in the Pacific, carrying up to 1,000 kilograms; FAA documents outline the tests but provide no launch dates, highlighting Starfall's potential to enable a self-sustaining space manufacturing economy and competition with other space-based services.