SpaceX Catches Returning Starship Rocket Booster With Chopstick Arms

(RTTNews) - Elon Musk's spacecraft maker SpaceX, in its fifth Starship test flight, made history on Sunday after returning the first stage booster back to its launch pad in Texas, where it was caught using mechanical arms called Mechazilla. The move is expected to boost the company's efforts to build a reusable moon and Mars vehicle.

Responding to the success of the catch-landing method in its first try, Musk in his post on X platform said, "The tower has caught the rocket!!"

In the test flight of Starship megarocket, the rocket's first stage Super Heavy booster lifted off at 7:25 a.m. CT from SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas launch facilities. The Starship's second stage rocket was moved toward space, and the booster got separated at an altitude of around 70 km and returned back, as targeted to the tower.

SpaceX, in a statement, noted that following a successful liftoff, ascent, stage separation, boostback burn, and coast, the Super Heavy booster performed its landing burn and was caught by the chopstick arms of the launch and catch tower at Starbase.

The live webcast of the launch was carried on SpaceX's website and its X account.

The milestone moment was also greeted with loud applause from SpaceX engineers, who were watching the company's live stream.

SpaceX added that prior to the catch, Starship executed another successful hot-staging separation, igniting its six Raptor engines and completing ascent into outer space. It coasted along its planned trajectory to the other side of the planet.

The rocket then executed a controlled re-entry, passing through the phases of peak heating and maximum aerodynamic pressure, before executing a flip, landing burn, and splashdown at its target area in the Indian Ocean.

During Starship's previous test flight in June, SpaceX had achieved its first successful splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX, which also provides Starlink satellite internet services across the world, has been in the development to build a fully reusable rocket that could move huge cargo into orbit, and transport humans to the moon and eventually to Mars, which is Musk's ultimate destination where he plans to build a colony.

SpaceX now said, "The world witnessed what the future will look like when Starship starts carrying crew and cargo to destinations on Earth, the Moon, Mars and beyond."