Watch SpaceX successfully execute the first ‘chopstick’ catch of Starship
SpaceX achieved a major engineering feat by catching the Starship vehicle with its 'Mechazilla' tower, despite an earlier failure to recover the booster. The company views this as a critical step forward in its development cycle, even as it investigates the cause of the booster's detonation.
Why it matters
The successful 'chopstick' catch demonstrates the viability of rapid rocket recovery, a key component of Elon Musk's long-term vision for Mars colonization.
After aborting a planned catch of Starship Flight 15’s booster, SpaceX successfully captured Starship with its “Mechazilla” launch and catch tower for the first time. The company has performed ‘chopstick’ catches of its boosters before, but this is the first time the maneuver has successfully been executed on the Starship vehicle itself.
Headlinne story · 8 newsrooms
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