At SpaceRobotics, we continue to transform some of the most ambitious space vehicles and missions of the present and future into scale models, physical replicas and experiences that bring space engineering closer to the public. One of these projects is our reproduction of what we informally call the Moonship, the lunar version of Starship being developed by SpaceX as a Human Landing System (HLS) for NASA’s Artemis programme.
A 1:50 scale model is currently on display at the Lunar Museum, designed and manufactured by our team to showcase what will be one of the most impressive vehicles conceived for the new era of human lunar exploration.
This is not simply about reproducing the appearance of a spacecraft. Projects like this allow us to transform designs that are still evolving into physical objects that visitors can observe up close, providing a much clearer understanding of their dimensions, architecture and differences compared with more traditional spacecraft.
A Spacecraft Approximately 50 Metres Tall, Transformed into a One-Metre Scale Model
Starship HLS is difficult to fully appreciate through photographs or illustrations alone. NASA describes SpaceX’s lunar vehicle as approximately 50 metres tall, comparable to a 15-storey building. Among its planned features is an elevator designed to transport astronauts and cargo between the spacecraft’s habitable area and the lunar surface.
Translating those dimensions into 1:50 scale results in a model approximately one metre tall, large enough for many of the spacecraft’s distinctive features to be clearly visible within an exhibition environment.
Our Moonship was developed as an exhibition-scale model with integrated lighting, giving the model a stronger visual presence while highlighting different areas of the spacecraft. The result is a piece designed not only to reproduce the vehicle itself, but also to serve as an effective science and space outreach exhibit within a museum environment.
De Starship a Moonship
Aunque comparte su arquitectura básica con Starship, la versión HLS está específicamente orientada a las operaciones lunares. Su función será transportar astronautas desde la órbita lunar hasta la superficie y posteriormente devolverlos a órbita, donde podrán continuar el viaje de regreso. NASA trabaja con SpaceX en el desarrollo de este sistema dentro de su arquitectura de exploración Artemis.
Esto hace especialmente interesante la comparación entre una Starship convencional y su configuración lunar. La Moonship presenta una imagen muy diferente de la nave que estamos acostumbrados a ver durante los vuelos de prueba de SpaceX y representa una arquitectura concebida específicamente para operar alrededor y sobre otro mundo.
Además, su enorme tamaño proporciona una idea de cómo ha cambiado la escala de los vehículos planteados para la exploración lunar desde las misiones Apollo.
From Starship to Moonship (HLS)
Although it shares its basic architecture with Starship, the HLS version is specifically designed for lunar operations. Its role will be to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon and then return them to orbit, where they can continue their journey home. NASA is working with SpaceX on the development of this system as part of its Artemis exploration architecture.
This makes the comparison between a conventional Starship and its lunar configuration particularly interesting. The Moonship has a very different appearance from the spacecraft we are accustomed to seeing during SpaceX test flights and represents an architecture specifically conceived to operate around and on the surface of another world.
Its enormous size also provides a striking perspective on how much the scale of spacecraft designed for lunar exploration has changed since the Apollo missions.
2026 HLS Assembly Instructions, Ready for Production
Scale Models to Explain Missions That Are Still Making History
The Moonship perfectly represents one of our main areas of expertise at SpaceRobotics: the design and manufacture of professional space scale models for museums, science centres, space agencies, institutions, exhibitions, events and corporate spaces.
We can develop everything from small desktop models to large-scale installations and full-size 1:1 replicas, combining 3D modelling and design, digital manufacturing, 3D printing, structural fabrication, painting and professional finishing with lighting, electronics, motors, sensors and interactive elements whenever the project requires them.
When working with missions that are still under development, there is an additional challenge: interpreting the technical documentation and references available at each stage in order to transform an evolving spacecraft into a physical model ready for exhibition.
The 1:50 scale Moonship currently on display at the Lunar Museum represents a physical snapshot of one stage in that evolution.
Very soon, it will be joined by a new Moonship updated to the 2026 design.
And while the real Starship HLS continues its journey towards the day it finally lands on the lunar surface, we will continue doing what we have been doing for years: transforming the missions that are shaping the future of space exploration into something we can already see, touch and understand today.