SpaceX
SpaceX demonstrates how it will catch Starship 5 Super Heavy
SpaceX has published a computer-aided video to show how the launch tower will catch the Super Heavy booster during the Starship 5. This is one of the major milestones for the ship in the next phase.
Starship Flight 3 was the first time SpaceX achieved hot staging but the first stage didn’t survive much in the air and blasted off. However, flight 4 not only marked stage separation but safely landed the first stage in the splash zone. Interestingly, the booster fired a landing burn and maintained its trajectory before making a splash.
Returning the booster after launch is a core capability to Starship becoming rapidly and reliably reusable pic.twitter.com/j4NSdnNiKr
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 27, 2024
After this success, the company is now working on the next mission and aiming to land the Super Heavy on the launch tower. Earlier this day, SpaceX shared visuals of testing the launch tower arms with a dummy booster. The company has been continuously expanding and closing its arms to test the flexibility for mission readiness.
On the other hand, the video shows Super Heavy conducting a landing burn and the launch tower movement as the first stage makes a return. Finally, the burn ends as the tower catches the booster and arms close completely.
SpaceX Super Heavy Landing on the launch tower – CAD (Source – SpaceX)
Unlike booster, the company may not attempt to do the same for Starship, which once again has to do the splash landing. SpaceX is likely to launch Starship Flight 5 by next month. Learn more below.
