SpaceX Said to Plan Starship Program for In-Orbit Drug Research

SpaceX is working on a program to use its mammoth Starship rocket to develop commercial products in space, potentially opening up a new business line for the world’s most valuable private startup, according to people familiar with the matter.

Under the plan, internally called Starfall, SpaceX’s Starship rocket would bring products like pharmaceutical components to space in small, uncrewed capsules, said one of the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter is confidential.

Starship would then deploy the capsules, which would spend time in orbit before reentering the atmosphere, where they could be recovered back on ...