SpaceX Starship upper stage caught mid-air by tower arms for first time

Flight Results

SpaceX successfully caught the upper part of its massive Starship rocket using mechanical arms nicknamed chopsticks for the first time after a flight lasting twenty-two and a half hours. The 124-metre-tall rocket blasted off from the Starbase launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas at 16:47 local time on Friday. While the upper stage completed 14 orbits around the Earth, deployed 26 Starlink satellites, and returned safely to the launch tower, the lower-stage Super Heavy booster failed to be caught.

Booster Abort

The company had hoped to recover both parts of the rocket on this 15th test flight, but the booster activated an automated abort a few minutes after launch. According to SpaceX, the booster engines stopped firing too soon, leading the guidance system to sense an incorrect position and divert the stage to the ocean where it hovered and exploded. Elon Musk posted on X that the booster was slightly low on fuel, and engineers are still investigating the exact cause.

Reusability Goals

SpaceX needs to reliably recover both halves of Starship to fly repeatedly and drastically cut launch costs for future moon and Mars travel. Although the booster recovery failed, the company had already caught the Super Heavy booster on three earlier test flights. This test marked the first time the upper stage, which only reached orbit for the first time in September, was grabbed by the chopsticks. Prof Malcolm Macdonald from the Royal Aeronautical Society noted that while missing the first stage is a setback, recovering the upper stage is a substantial step forward.

Context

Reusable rocket technology forms the foundation of modern commercial spaceflight by dramatically lowering the cost of reaching orbit compared to traditional single-use rockets. SpaceX is developing Starship to support future deep-space exploration, including building a permanent lunar base and eventually crewed missions to Mars. Nasa is closely monitoring these tests as the vehicle is contracted to serve as the lunar lander for upcoming Artemis missions.