Elon Musk’s SpaceX intercepted the returning booster of its Starship rocket using mechanical arms on its launch pad. This marked the first successful recovery on land, diverging from the typical method of landing boosters on floating ocean platforms. SpaceX has employed similar techniques with its smaller Falcon 9 rockets for nearly nine years.
Musk shared a video on the social media platform X, showcasing the booster being caught by the pad’s mechanical arms, just seven minutes after its launch. The launch tower, equipped with massive metal arms known as chopsticks, secured the 232-foot (71-meter) booster.
SpaceX engineers expressed their excitement. Dan Huot, observing from near the launch site, remarked on the monumental achievement, while Kate Tice from the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California, hailed it as a landmark in engineering history.
The successful recovery has stirred enthusiasm for space tourism and safe reentry from space. Anand Mahindra from India shared his excitement on X, noting the potential democratization of space travel and inquiring about ticket availability.
The tower has caught the rocket!!
pic.twitter.com/CPXsHJBdUh— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2024
The feat was achieved during the fifth test flight of the Starship rocket. This “catch-landing” method represents SpaceX’s latest advancement in developing fully reusable rockets capable of transporting more cargo into space. Musk aims to use these reusable vehicles for human missions to the moon and potentially Mars.
What Other Media Are Saying
- LiveNOW from FOX highlights SpaceX’s Starship launch, where mechanical arms dubbed “chopsticks” successfully caught the returning booster, marking a historic engineering milestone and paving the way for reusable rocket technology.(read more)
- Al Jazeera reports on SpaceX’s historic fifth Starship flight test, where the giant Super Heavy booster was successfully caught by mechanical arms at the launch pad, highlighting engineering milestones and future ambitions.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What did SpaceX achieve with its Starship rocket?
SpaceX intercepted the returning booster on land using mechanical arms, marking the first successful recovery on land.
How did SpaceX typically land its boosters before this achievement?
SpaceX typically landed its boosters on floating ocean platforms.
Who shared the video of the booster being caught?
Elon Musk shared the video on the social media platform X.
What was the reaction from SpaceX engineers to the successful recovery?
SpaceX engineers expressed excitement, calling it a monumental achievement and a landmark in engineering history.
What are Elon Musk’s future goals for the reusable rockets?
Musk aims to use reusable rockets for human missions to the moon and potentially Mars.