SpaceX has had a busybodied and memorable year , conductingmore Falcon 9 missionsthan ever and making tangible progression with the developing of its next - generation spaceship vehicle , the most powerful rocket ever to fly .
The most famed of the Starship test missions come on October 13 when SpaceX ’s launch tower“caught ” the returning Super Heavy boosteron the very first attempt .
The spectacular feat involved the 70 - beat - grandiloquent shoplifter returning with pinpoint accuracy to two gargantuan mechanically skillful blazonry on the launch tugboat , which secured the booster above the ground at SpaceX ’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica , Texas .
Returning the booster in this way admit SpaceX to reuse the promoter for multiple escape , similar to what it does with its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket engine , drastically scale down missionary work costs .
Below , we ’ve pulled together various television clips showing the Super Heavy booster rocket ’s over-the-top return on October 13 . The first one shows both the launch and landing of the Starship , which comprises the first - stage Super Heavy booster shot and upper - stagecoach Starship spacecraft :
found and come back are fundamental techniques for Starship ’s to the full and chop-chop reusable designpic.twitter.com/vrTdGkB08s
& mdash ; SpaceX ( @SpaceX)October 13 , 2024
This video is an onboard view prove a shut - up position of how the rocket come to perch on one of the so - called “ chopstick ” arms just minutes after deploying the Starship spacecraft to revolve :
Onboard persuasion show a catch meet on Super Heavy as it contacts a chopstick gimmick beampic.twitter.com/r1TVQEdITc
& mdash ; SpaceX ( @SpaceX)October 14 , 2024
In a message attached to the next clip , SpaceX said : “ Thousands of decided fomite and launch area criteria had to be met prior to catch the Super Heavy admirer . Thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers , we succeeded with arrest on our first try . ”
thousand of clear-cut vehicle and pad criterion had to be fill prior to catching the Super Heavy booster . Thanks to the untiring study of SpaceX engineers , we win with catch on our first attempt.pic.twitter.com/6wa5v6xHI0
Here ’s a panorama from a camera attached to the launch tower , again show in great item how the Super Heavy rocket come in to land :
The last phase angle of Super Heavy's land burn used the three centre Raptor engines to precisely steer into catch positionpic.twitter.com/BxQbOmT4yk
Next , we have a beautiful wide shot over southern Texas , look toward the Gulf of Mexico , with the Super Heavy using its Raptor rocket engines to slow itself before come to rest on the tower :
Super Heavy landing burn and catchpic.twitter.com/wppBezuOet
Another sight from the tower shows more empty the two arms moving together as the skyrocket rejoinder :
towboat panorama of the first Super Heavy booster catchpic.twitter.com/Bgjeyuw7Hf
The video below show the Eruca vesicaria sativa ’s hurrying and elevation data as it come in to land :
Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster!pic.twitter.com/6R5YatSVJX
This clip designate a SpaceX render ( apparently create before the 5th test flight , though released afterwards ) that closely conceive of how the actual landing ( right hand ) would appear :
Making a speedily recyclable future a realitypic.twitter.com/CM3cb24bw9
& mdash ; SpaceX ( @SpaceX)November 17 , 2024
Finally , delight this video testify the arugula ’s return and landing , together with comment from the SpaceX team and the chemical reaction of those watch :
SpaceX conducted a sixth test flight on November 19 , but a communications payoff between the launching tower and the returning Super Heavy force missionary station controllers to send the booster into the Gulf of Mexico instead of attempt a 2d catch .
SpaceX will endeavor to ingeminate its sinful landing place featon its 7th test flight of stairs , which is look to take place in former January .
