OMM Newsroom
“SpaceX” has demonstrated a new step in rocket reusability, catching its “Starship” spacecraft with giant robotic arms after a mission lasting more than 22 hours, Anadolu Agency reported.
The maneuver at the company’s “Starbase” facility in Texas marked the first time an upper-stage rocket returning from orbit was caught by its launch tower and brought to a safe, upright position.
Nicknamed “Mechazilla,” the tower uses two enormous mechanical arms to catch returning rockets rather than letting them land on the ground. The system is part of “SpaceX”’s effort to develop fully reusable rockets.
“Mechazilla catches Starship!” the company said in a statement, congratulating its team on an “incredible achievement.”
The 171-foot-tall (52-meter) spacecraft reached orbit during the mission and deployed “Starlink” internet satellites before beginning its return journey, according to “SpaceX.” It completed its descent and approached the tower, where the robotic arms caught it.
The achievement came despite an unsuccessful attempt to catch the “Super Heavy” booster, the rocket’s first-stage component. The booster was redirected to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico.
