Aerial video shows SpaceX beginning construction of another Starship rocket in Florida

SpaceX now has three of its next-generation Starship rockets under construction, as aerial video shows the latest developments at the company's facility in Florida.

The first bands of stainless steel for another Starship rocket were put on a stand Thursday, and were captured in a video taken from a flying drone. Former commercial pilot John Winkopp took the video and gave CNBC permission to use his footage.

Starship is a massive rocket that SpaceX is developing to eventually launch cargo and people to the moon and Mars. The rocket is designed to be reusable so SpaceX can launch and land it multiple times, like a commercial airplane.

SpaceX is building three Starship rockets simultaneously: One in at its facility in Boca Chica, Texas and two at its facility in Cocoa, Florida.

The first stainless steel bands of Starship "Mark 4," circled in red, were spotted Thursday at SpaceX's facility in Florida.

John Winkopp

SpaceX founder Elon Musk last month gave an update on Starship's development, standing in front of the first assembled rocket in Texas. That's also where SpaceX has completed short test flights of a prototype Starship rocket, which is called Starhopper.

While the next Starship flight is expected to reach about 65,000 feet altitude, Musk is pushing SpaceX to fly to space in the coming months.

The company is using stainless steel to build Starship, giving it the reflective appearance seen in the video.

A timelapse of SpaceX's Florida facility taken on Tuesday:

Activity at SpaceX's facility in Cocoa, Florida, where the company is constructing two of its Starship rockets.

John Winkopp

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