SpaceX has released stunning close-up images of the towering 70-meter Super Heavy booster during the initial stages and conclusion of its groundbreaking test flight on Sunday. This marked the first successful return of the rocket to Earth.
The images capture the moment when the Super Heavy’s Raptor engines ignited at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, during its fifth test flight. They also depict the booster as it completed its landing, safely grasped by enormous mechanical arms on the launchpad roughly seven minutes post-launch.
Launching and returning the world’s most powerful rocket pic.twitter.com/E8AWRc5TTZ
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2024
SpaceX described this milestone as its “most ambitious” test flight of the Starship, which incorporates both the Super Heavy first-stage booster and the upper-stage Starship spacecraft. The company aims to validate techniques crucial for the fully reusable design of both vehicles.
In a visual highlight, SpaceX showcased the incredible moment mechanical arms successfully secured the massive booster during its return to Earth:
Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria had to be met prior to catching the Super Heavy booster. Thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers, we succeeded with catch on our first attempt. pic.twitter.com/6wa5v6xHI0
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2024
In an announcement on its website, SpaceX stated: “Following a successful liftoff, ascent, stage separation, boostback burn, and coast, the Super Heavy booster executed its landing burn and was securely caught by the chopstick arms of the launch and catch tower at Starbase. The combined efforts of SpaceX engineers enabled us to achieve this remarkable feat on our first attempt.”
Previous Starship test flights ended rather drastically, either with the booster exploding midair or splashing down in the ocean.
While all eyes were on the booster during its impressive landing, the Starship spacecraft also demonstrated success by performing a hot-staging separation from the Super Heavy and activating its six Raptor engines to ascend into orbit.
According to SpaceX, “It followed its intended path around the globe before executing a controlled reentry, navigating the intense phases of peak heating and maximum aerodynamic pressure. It then performed a flip, landing burn, and ultimately splashed down in its designated area in the Indian Ocean.” The test concluded 1 hour and 5 minutes after launch when the spacecraft made its ocean entry.
“The entire SpaceX team should take pride in the engineering achievement they accomplished,” the company, led by Elon Musk, remarked. “What we have witnessed is a glimpse into the future as Starship begins transporting crew and cargo to destinations on Earth, the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”
In a previous interview, Musk elaborated on the approach SpaceX took to retrieve the Super Heavy booster.
“We designed a custom-built tower with arms specifically to catch the largest and heaviest flying object ever constructed,” the billionaire entrepreneur explained. “You have hundreds of tons plummeting at more than half the speed of sound, and as it descends, the arms will close and fit snugly against the vehicle, capturing it safely.”
Many onlookers believed the first landing attempt might fail, making it a significant moment when the booster settled precisely between the mechanical arms on that very first try.