On October 13, 2024, SpaceX successfully captured its Super Heavy booster using a pair of mechanical arms, known as 'Mechazilla,' during the fifth integrated flight test of its Starship system. The booster landed back at the Boca Chica launchpad in Texas seven minutes after liftoff, marking a significant advancement in rocket recovery technology.
The Starship, measuring 397 feet tall, launched at 8:25 AM EDT. After separating from the booster, the upper stage completed a near-orbital flight and landed in the Indian Ocean, demonstrating improvements to its ceramic heat shield.
SpaceX's engineering team had aimed to test the booster’s return and landing capabilities under controlled conditions. The booster was able to slow down and align itself above the launchpad, where the gantry's arms successfully grasped it, a feat previously unachieved with such a large rocket.
Elon Musk celebrated the event on social media, stating, 'Big step towards making life multiplanetary was made today.' NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also congratulated SpaceX, emphasizing the importance of these tests for future lunar missions under the Artemis program.
This achievement not only showcases SpaceX's innovative recovery methods but also supports Musk's vision of making space travel more efficient and sustainable. The successful capture of the booster could potentially reduce launch costs and enable rapid reusability, crucial for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
SpaceX plans to continue testing and refining the Starship system, with expectations of launching astronauts to the Moon as part of NASA's upcoming Artemis missions.