SpaceX achieves first Starship spacecraft tower catch following milestone 14-orbit Starlink mission
The spacecraft reignited three engines to flip itself into a vertical position and steer itself toward the launch tower, where two mechanical "chopstick" arms clasped onto the craft as it hovered.
SpaceX's Starship spacecraft successfully returned to its launch tower following a 14-orbit Starlink mission, marking a significant milestone in the company's decade-long effort to develop a fully reusable rocket. The two-stage rocket, launched from SpaceX's Starbase in Texas, delivered the Starship upper stage to orbit before initiating a dramatic atmospheric descent.
As the spacecraft plummeted back to Earth at speeds of around 17,000 miles per hour, it reignited three of its engines to flip itself into a vertical position and steer itself towards the launch pad. Two mechanical "chopstick" arms then secured the spacecraft, successfully completing the first-ever recovery of the Starship vessel at its launch site.
While this achievement demonstrates progress in SpaceX's goal of a fully reusable rocket system akin to commercial airline operations, the mission falls short of recovering both Starship stages in a single flight. Additionally, the spacecraft's heat shield, composed of black hexagonal tiles, is still in the process of being engineered for reusability.
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