On the historic Flight 5 rocket launch and landing, SpaceX once again made history with the incredible feat of catching a huge Starship booster using “Chopsticks.” The monumental achievement marked a significant step forward in the quest for reliable and reusable spaceflight technology.
The ambitious mission took place at the SpaceX Starbase facility in South Texas on October 13th. The Starship vehicle, towering at an impressive height of 400 feet, was launched for the seventh time into the skies at 8:25 am EDT. The main highlight of the mission was the planned return of the massive first-stage rocket, Super Heavy, which was set to land directly back on its launch mount using the innovative “chopstick” arms of the launch tower.
As the Super Heavy rocket soared into the sky, spectators watched in awe as it hovered near the Mechazilla launch tower. With precision and finesse, the tower’s metal arms captured the rocket just seven minutes after liftoff, landing it safely back on target. The successful catch of the Starship booster sent waves of excitement through the SpaceX team at their headquarters in Hawthorne, California.
Kate Tice, SpaceX Quality Systems Engineering manager, marveled at the engineering marvel unfolding before her eyes. She described the moment as “a day for the engineering history books” and expressed the sheer disbelief and joy felt by the team at the successful first attempt of catching the Super Heavy rocket at the launch tower.
The impressive show of technological prowess didn’t stop there. In addition to the booster catch, SpaceX also planned to launch Starship’s top stage, known as Ship, and execute a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. After firing three of its six engines to hover over the ocean, Ship rotated and exploded in a dramatic yet controlled display. Despite not planning to recover Ship, the SpaceX team viewed the outcome as the best possible ending to the mission.
Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, hailed the successful mission as a significant step towards the goal of making life multiplanetary. The reusable and innovative technology utilized in the launch and landing of the Starship booster holds the promise of transforming the future of spaceflight and exploration.
The development of Starship has not gone unnoticed by NASA, who selected the craft as its first crewed lander for the Artemis moon mission program. The upcoming Artemis 3 mission in September 2026 will see Starship landing NASA personnel on the moon, opening up new possibilities for space exploration.
Before Flight 5 took place, SpaceX made crucial upgrades to Starship, including a complete rework of its heat shield. The new heat shield features newer-generation tiles, a backup ablative layer, and additional protections to enhance the spacecraft’s durability during reentry.
The successful completion of Flight 5 joins a series of test flights and improvements made to the Starship rocket. Each flight brings the SpaceX team closer to perfecting the technology required for future space missions. Despite setbacks caused by regulatory delays, SpaceX remains committed to advancing the development of Starship and its revolutionary capabilities.
Looking ahead, SpaceX is poised to launch more Starship missions in the near future. With a static fire test of the Flight 6 Ship vehicle already completed, the company is gearing up for further test flights and advancements in its space exploration endeavors. The journey towards making life multiplanetary continues with each successful mission, bringing humanity one step closer to the stars.
