Watch SpaceX successfully execute the first ‘chopstick’ catch of Starship
After aborting a planned catch of Starship Flight 15's booster, SpaceX successfully captured Starship with its "Mechazilla" launch and catch tower for the first time. The company has performed 'chopstick' catches of its boosters before, but this is the first time the maneuver has successfully been executed on the Starship vehicle itself. SpaceX CEO Elon […]
SpaceX achieved a historic milestone in their Starship program by successfully capturing the vehicle using the arms of their launch and catch tower, 'Mechazilla,' for the first time. This 'chopstick' catch of Starship, which had previously only been performed on boosters, marked a significant step forward. The company had attempted to capture Starship Flight 15's booster, but the maneuver proved successful this time.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had previously expressed optimism about the mission's success, stating, "success is not guaranteed on these first flights, but I'd say it's more likely than not that this succeeds next flight." Although the entire launch vehicle could not be recovered, this milestone demonstrates the progress being made in the Starship program.
SpaceX continues to investigate the cause of the booster's abort and subsequent explosion over the Gulf of Mexico.
Written by urgent.news from The Verge's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
