SpaceX achieved a significant milestone during its fifth test flight of the Starship on Sunday, successfully bringing the rocket’s massive first-stage booster back to its Texas launch pad using a pair of impressive mechanical arms. This accomplishment marks another innovative engineering step forward in the company’s goal to develop a reusable vehicle for missions to the Moon and Mars.
The Super Heavy booster lifted off at 7:25 a.m. CT (12:25 GMT) from SpaceX’s launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. It propelled the Starship second stage into the sky before separating at approximately 70 kilometers (40 miles) altitude, initiating the most challenging phase of the test flight: its return landing.
To reduce its rapid descent, the Super Heavy re-ignited three of its 33 Raptor engines, directing it back towards the launch pad and tower from which it had just launched. The launch tower, which rises more than 400 feet tall—taller than the Statue of Liberty—features two large arms at its apex.
As the 233-foot (71-meter) Super Heavy booster approached, it deftly positioned itself into the tower’s giant mechanical arms, securing itself with small protruding bars located beneath its four forward grid fins, which had been utilized for in-air navigation.
“The tower has caught the rocket!!” CEO Elon Musk tweeted shortly after the successful catch. His excitement was echoed by the cheers of SpaceX engineers who were tuned into the live broadcast.
This innovative catch-and-land technique is part of SpaceX’s ongoing development efforts aimed at creating a fully reusable rocket system capable of transporting larger payloads into orbit, carrying astronauts to the Moon for NASA, and ultimately journeying to Mars, which is Musk’s ultimate vision.
Meanwhile, the Starship second stage continued its journey in space, traveling at about 17,000 miles per hour at an altitude of 89 miles. It was on course for a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean near western Australia approximately 90 minutes into the flight.
As Starship re-entered Earth’s atmosphere horizontally, onboard cameras captured a mesmerizing display of superheated plasma enveloping the ship’s surface and its two aerodynamic flaps, showcasing the intense hypersonic friction in a vibrant aura.
