SpaceX successfully caught the upper stage of its Starship rocket on Saturday using mechanical arms at its launch tower in Starbase, Texas. The milestone came one day after the rocket's booster exploded on Friday during Test Flight 15. Test Flight 15 marked the first time SpaceX attempted to catch both the rocket's booster and upper stage, a critical step toward making Starship fully reusable for expanding Starlink satellite internet service, supporting NASA lunar missions, and Musk's vision to colonize Mars.
SpaceX Catches Starship Upper Stage Using Mechazilla Tower
SpaceX made the historic catch using its "chopsticks," mechanical arms attached to a launch tower nicknamed Mechazilla, at its facility in Starbase, Texas. During the first phase of the test flight on Friday, SpaceX failed to catch and recover the booster, instead diverting it to an offshore splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico where it exploded before hitting the water. The rocket's upper stage then continued into orbit and flew around the Earth 14 times before successfully landing on SpaceX's launch tower on Saturday.
Flight Restrictions Issued and Lifted During Test Flight 15
The Hawaii Department of Transportation issued a temporary pause on some West Coast flights Friday, due to debris risk from the flight. Separately, the FAA issued a rare, nationwide ground stop due to telecommunications system failures. Both of those orders have since been lifted.
Starship Deploys 26 Starlink Satellites and Supports NASA Lunar Program
During Test Flight 15 on Friday, SpaceX released another 26 of its newest Starlink v3 satellites into orbit, growing its commercial satellite internet network. The company's constellation already included over 11,000 satellites in low Earth orbit. One Starship rocket can carry up to 60 Starlink v3 satellites, the company has said. Making Starship a reliable and fully reusable rocket is critical to SpaceX's ambitions. In the near term, the company needs Starship to send more satellites into orbit to expand its Starlink satellite internet service, which is currently the company's profit center. SpaceX is also expected to use Starship to bring astronauts and cargo from lunar orbit to the Moon's surface and back for NASA. Musk also has a grand vision to use Starship to colonize Mars and make humanity multi-planetary.
FAQ
What did SpaceX catch on Saturday?
SpaceX successfully caught the upper stage, or spacecraft, portion of its massive Starship rocket from orbit on Saturday using mechanical arms attached to its launch tower in Starbase, Texas.
Why did SpaceX's booster explode during Test Flight 15?
During the first phase of the test flight on Friday, SpaceX failed to catch and recover the booster, instead diverting it to an offshore splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico where it exploded before hitting the water. The source does not specify the technical cause of the explosion.
How many times did Starship's upper stage orbit Earth before landing?
The rocket's upper stage continued into orbit and flew around the Earth 14 times before successfully landing on SpaceX's launch tower on Saturday.
