Mechazilla decal returns for Starship Flight 7 booster catch

SpaceX is ready to launch the Starship Flight 7 and brought back the Mechazilla decal on the ship to repeat the success of Flight 5 and catch the booster with tower arms.

Shots shared by Starbase Surfer and Starship Gazer show the ship with a mechazilla decal below the ship serial. The decal is similar to Flight 5.

The tower is equipped with electronic arms that open and close to integrate the first and second stages on the launch pad. It is designed to catch the rocket as it descends from space. Due to its robotic nature, the company calls it Mechazilla and the decal resembles the spirit of that launch tower.

Mechazilla Decal on Starship (Credit – Starbase Surfer)

During Flight 5, SpaceX attempted the first-ever booster catch, and upon returning from the hot staging, it went well as the rocket landed right between both launch tower arms.

Launch Tower at Boca Chica Starbase Facility caught Starship 5 Booster after final burn (Source – SpaceX)

Prior to this flight, the company had been practicing to splash down the first stage in the Gulf of Mexico. With rapid progress, the booster gained stability and became eligible for a vertical landing on the launch site.

However, there’s still a fail-safe plan in place. It means the booster and the launch tower don’t meet the parameters to perform the catch, the booster will automatically deflect for a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

Flight 6 is the first example of such safety protocol, during the liftoff, the tower sensors were damaged and SpaceX chose to sink to booster into the sea. This instance has become a turning point and SpaceX has increased protections for the tower chopsticks sensors.

Starship Flight 7 will launch on January 15, 2025, with a 60-minute launch window opening at 4:00 p.m. CT.