SpaceX Calls Off Booster Catch Try Mid-Flight, Citing Security Considerations

Shortly after launching its Starship rocket for the sixth time, SpaceX opted out of performing a booster catch, letting the rocket’s first stage dive into the ocean as an alternative. It’s not the consequence the corporate hoped for, however knowledge from the flight will undoubtedly inform future makes an attempt.

Starship lifted off on Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas for its sixth built-in take a look at flight. The suborbital launch was supposed to incorporate the Tremendous Heavy booster being caught by the large Mechazilla tower after reentry, however SpaceX declared it a no-go for the booster catch roughly 4 minutes after liftoff.

“Numerous issues must go effectively for that to line up,” a SpaceX spokesperson defined in the course of the reside broadcast. As a substitute, the booster needed to carry out a mushy soggy touchdown off the coast in Texas as a result of not all standards for a catch had been met, SpaceX added. The corporate cited security considerations for the group, the general public, and the launch pad itself as the explanation why SpaceX skipped the booster catch try, in line with the published.

Tremendous Heavy initiates its touchdown burn and softly splashes down within the Gulf of Mexico pic.twitter.com/BZ3Az4GssC

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 19, 2024

The booster’s splashdown was nonetheless spectacular to observe, as the large rocket slowed down on its option to the floor of the water earlier than gently diving in like a humpback whale after a full breach. On its means down, the booster lit up 13 of its engines earlier than paring right down to solely three engines proper earlier than splashdown, which passed off round seven minutes after launch.

Starship is on its means down now, selecting up velocity. pic.twitter.com/DB1EJyKrfu

— Scott Manley (@DJSnM) November 19, 2024

Starship’s sixth take a look at flight did embody another milestones, together with the re-lighting of one of many rocket’s six Raptor engines in house for the primary time. The rocket additionally carried its first payload, a stuffed toy within the form of a banana (take a look at the picture within the above tweet, displaying the lone banana), which served as a zero gravity indicator. The Starship higher stage managed to outlive reentry and carry out a managed mushy splashdown within the Indian Ocean at 6:05 p.m. ET.

Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to your entire SpaceX group on an thrilling sixth flight take a look at of Starship! pic.twitter.com/bf98Va9qmL

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 19, 2024

Earlier in October, Starship launched for a groundbreaking fifth take a look at flight. For the primary time, the rocket’s Tremendous Heavy 232-foot-tall (71 meters) booster gently got here down in the direction of the tower, which caught the rocket with its prolonged mechanical arms like an enormous pair of chopsticks.

This 12 months noticed Starship inch nearer in the direction of operational flights, with every take a look at flight proving extra profitable than the one earlier than it. SpaceX launched its Starship rocket for the first time in April 2023, however its debut was lower than perfect because the car entered right into a deadly tumble that compelled floor controllers to subject a self-destruct command proper earlier than the four-minute mark of the mission.

In November 2023, Starship’s second test flight resulted in the in-flight destruction of both the Super Heavy booster and upper stage, nevertheless it was nonetheless a serious enchancment from its inaugural flight. For the third test flight in March, Starship efficiently carried out a stage separation, accomplished a full-duration burn of the second-stage engines, demonstrated inside propellant switch for NASA, and examined the Starlink dispenser door. Starship’s fourth liftoff in June broke new grounds in comparison with its earlier take a look at flights, with the rocket largely surviving peak heating and max aerodynamic strain throughout its managed reentry.