Reporting
SpaceX founder Elon Musk stated this week that the company aims to "catch" its Starship spacecraft using a launch tower mechanism within the next few months. This maneuver, intended to grab the vehicle as it lands, represents a novel approach to rocket recovery. Successful implementation would significantly reduce turnaround time between flights, a key objective for SpaceX's ambitious launch cadence.
The Starship program is central to SpaceX's long-term vision for orbital, lunar, and eventual Martian missions. The reusability of the entire stack, including both the booster and the upper stage (Starship), is crucial for making spaceflight more economical and frequent. Previous Starship test flights have focused on achieving orbital velocity and demonstrating atmospheric re-entry, with landings proving particularly challenging. This proposed catch mechanism is a new step in refining the landing procedure.
“We will "catch" Starship with a tower in a few months. Musk”
Radar.am
The Musk Wire aggregates and deduplicates public feeds; it does not republish articles. Continue to news.google.com to read the reporting in full.