GoKawiilSpaceX cut Raptor engine's external plumbing while boosting thrust 35%
SpaceX has redesigned its Starship engine, the Raptor, from a version covered in exposed pipes and wires into the compact Raptor 3 that first flew in May. Despite looking simpler, the newer engine produces roughly 35% more thrust than the original Raptor 1, prompting some observers to initially doubt images of the stripped-down design were genuine.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
SpaceX doesn't release official schematics or allow teardowns of the Raptor, so the engineering changes behind this leap in simplicity and power remain mostly inferred from Elon Musk's comments and enthusiast analysis. The redesign matters because a simpler, higher-thrust engine likely means faster manufacturing, lower costs, and greater reliability for Starship's ambitious launch cadence goals.
- Raptor 3, flown for the first time in May, looks far less complex than Raptor 1 despite performing better.
- The engine delivers about 35% more thrust than the original version.
- SpaceX has not published Raptor schematics, so most technical details come from public comments and outside speculation.
Source: construction-physics.com — Brian Potter, 2026-09-17
Published there as: “How SpaceX streamlined the Raptor engine”
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