By Jean Landemer, correspondent in space affairs, for Eurasia Business News – October 13, 2024. Article n°1261.

SpaceX has achieved a significant milestone in rocket recovery technology by successfully catching its Super Heavy booster back at the launch pad using giant mechanical arms, often referred to as “chopsticks.” This event occurred during the fifth test flight of the Starship system on October 13, 2024, marking a historic moment in aerospace engineering.

Launch Details

Launch Time: The Super Heavy booster lifted off at 8:25 a.m. ET (1225 GMT) from SpaceX’s Boca Chica facility in Texas.

Flight Duration: Approximately seven minutes after liftoff, the booster separated from the Starship upper stage at an altitude of about 74 kilometers (46 miles) and began its descent back to the launch site.

Catching the Booster

Innovative Recovery Method:

The booster was caught by two large robotic arms attached to the launch tower, which successfully gripped the descending rocket as it approached the pad.

This method is designed to enhance reusability, allowing SpaceX to refurbish and relaunch boosters more efficiently, similar to their existing Falcon 9 recovery system that utilizes ocean platforms.

Technical Achievements:

The Super Heavy booster re-lit three of its 33 Raptor engines to slow its descent before being captured by the chopsticks.

The catch was described as a “bull’s-eye landing,” showcasing the precision of SpaceX’s engineering capabilities.

Reactions and Future Plans

Celebration and Significance:

Elon Musk hailed the event as “science fiction without the fiction part,” emphasizing its importance for future space exploration missions, including NASA’s Artemis program aimed at returning humans to the Moon.

SpaceX employees celebrated enthusiastically, with many expressing disbelief at the successful catch, which was considered a day for “engineering history books” by SpaceX’s engineering manager Kate Tice.

Next Steps

Following this successful catch, SpaceX plans to continue testing Starship with further modifications, including enhancements to its heat shield and overall design improvements based on previous flight data.

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The Starship upper stage will also attempt a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean, further validating the entire mission’s objectives.

This successful recovery marks a pivotal step toward making space travel more sustainable and cost-effective, aligning with Musk’s vision of enabling human life on other planets.

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© Copyright 2024 – Eurasia Business News. Article no. 1261.