Billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX marked a significant milestone on Sunday with the successful completion of its fifth test flight and a groundbreaking catch of its Super Heavy booster using “Chopstick arms.” The launch of the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, the 400-foot-tall Starship combined with the Super Heavy booster, took place at 8 a.m. EDT (5:30 p.m. IST) from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas.
Following the launch, SpaceX shared the achievement on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster!” Founder Elon Musk echoed the excitement, posting, “The tower has caught the rocket!!” This successful recovery marks a major leap forward for SpaceX as it pursues rapid reusability of its rockets, a core goal of the company.
The historic booster catch comes after years of preparation, as SpaceX engineers and technicians dedicated countless hours to testing and refining the intricate mechanisms necessary for a flawless capture. This success builds on SpaceX’s progress, following its June flight where the upper stage of the Starship achieved its first successful splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
During the latest mission, the Starship vehicle entered a one-hour coast phase, with plans for a controlled reentry over the Indian Ocean, west of Australia. SpaceX highlighted that the flight path ensures public safety by avoiding the need for a deorbit burn, leading to a soft water landing.
Meanwhile, rival space company Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos, offered congratulations to SpaceX on its accomplishment. Blue Origin is also preparing for its own milestone, set to launch its second human-rated spacecraft after resolving technical issues that delayed the debut. The mission, known as NS-27, will carry 12 research payloads and test new technologies, including navigation systems and LIDAR sensors for use in the lunar environment.