SpaceX is testing tower chopsticks to catch Starship 5 booster

SpaceX is testing the tower chopsticks to catch the upcoming Starship Flight 5 booster after stage separation. A video published on social media site X shows flexibility verification around these two arms of the Starship tower. A huge booster dummy has been created and placed on the orbital mount with the same width but low height.

This replicates the diameter of a real Super Heavy booster and the speed required to retract the arms when the booster performs a landing burn. SpaceX also shared computer-aided visuals of how chopsticks would catch the super heavy booster upon landing.

Starbase team testing the tower chopsticks for the upcoming catch of a Super Heavy booster pic.twitter.com/mwkefizmwO

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 27, 2024

The company is testing this new rocket to send heavy payload and human passengers outside Earth’s orbit. The past four tests have achieved new milestones and enabled the Starship program to focus on areas that still need improvements. These include heated reentry and landing of both stages.

The first milestone is entirely related to the Starship spacecraft but the second point also has Super Heavy. During the third flight, SpaceX achieved a clean stage separation but the booster failed to land in the targeted splash zone.

SpaceX Starship Test Flight 4 33 Raptor Engine Ignition During Liftoff (Source – SpaceX)

However, the company achieved a controlled landing for both stages with the fourth flight. Although Starship’s landing was a bit harsh but Super Heavy checked all checkboxes in the right direction.

The flight four landed this giant booster in the ocean. With that success, the company can look through the data and use it in Flight 5 to attempt a real tower landing. For now, there’s no official date available for this next fight but previous information suggests that the Starship 5 could liftoff somewhere next month.