Today, SpaceX's Mechazilla service tower "caught" the first stage of the Super Heavy Flight 5 rocket on its return from the Starship spacecraft.
On October 13 at 3:32 PM Kyiv time, following a successful launch, the rocket's first stage returned directly to the launch pad, into the movable robotic arms of Mechazilla from an altitude of 70 km. This marks the first practical confirmation of the Starship launch model, wherein boosters return to the launch site, and after rapid automated maintenance and refueling, they are ready for the next launch within just a few hours.
Big step towards making life multiplanetary was made today https://t.co/dwE5MExToI
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2024
“Today marks a significant step towards making life multiplanetary,” wrote Elon Musk.
“This is a day for engineering history books. It’s absolute madness! We successfully caught the super-heavy rocket booster on the launch tower on the first attempt,” said Kate Tice, SpaceX’s quality systems development manager.
“Even in our time, what we just witnessed looked like magic,” said Dan Huot, a SpaceX representative.
The test launch of SpaceX's booster proceeded as planned. After launch, the hot separation of the first and second stages occurred, with the latter also landing softly in the Indian Ocean. The only issue noted was the burnt "fins" of the rocket due to metal melting from atmospheric friction, despite the added protective elements. It seems that SpaceX will need to work further on this.
The next test is expected in a few months, following the analysis of today’s launch and obtaining approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The approval for today’s launch was received a month earlier than anticipated.
Sources: Alpha Centauri, Space.com
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