Starship 5 Update: SpaceX Successfully Catches Starship Booster!!!

8th Oct 2024
Starship 5 Update: SpaceX Successfully Catches Starship Booster!!!

Starship 5 has been given FAA permission to launch. The sudden and quickly changing events surrounding Starship 5 will be updated here at Orbital Today!

Starship 5 Flight a Success With First Ever Attempt to Catch a Booster

On 13 October, SpaceX launched Starship, its biggest and heaviest rocket. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the U.S. gave SpaceX permission to launch Starship 5 ‘at the last minute’. The decision, announced on 12th October, comes as a surprise after indications a week ago that the permission would not be given in October. Moreover, the FAA gave permission to launch Flight 6.

starship flight 5 images
Credit: SpaceX

For the first time, this demonstration mission included an ambitious attempt to maneuver the 232-foot-tall (71-meter) rocket booster to a gargantuan landing structure after it burned through most of its fuel and broke away from the upper Starship spacecraft. The Super Heavy was successfully caught midair with a pair of massive metal pincers, which SpaceX calls “chopsticks.”

The Starship booster successfully detached from Starship. After automated launch site checks, the booster was cleared to land in an attempt for the tower’s ‘chopsticks’ to catch it. This video is mind-bending when you think about what is happening there:

“Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria had to be met prior to catching the Super Heavy booster. Thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers, we succeeded with catch on our first attempt,” SpaceX wrote on X.

Elon Musk has already reported on social media that they inspected the Starship booster, and it looks great overall. According to SpaceX founder, there are a few outer engine nozzles that are warped from heating and some other minor issues, which can be easily fixed.

starship flight 5 booster images
Credit: SpaceX

Context

SpaceX is gearing up for the fifth test flight of its Starship rocket, aiming for launch on 13 October at 5:30 PM IST. However, the launch timing is subject to change as the company awaits a crucial permit from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The mega Starship rocket, which stands at an impressive 400 feet, is still pending regulatory approval. The FAA, citing safety concerns, had previously refused to grant the launch permit before November. If the permit isn’t obtained in time, it could further delay the planned launch.

Ambitious Starship Test Flight 5

This mission will mark the most ambitious Starship flight to date. SpaceX plans to use the Mechazilla tower with its “chopstick” arms to catch the Super Heavy booster in mid-air as it descends at supersonic speeds. This will be the first time SpaceX attempts to recover the booster in this manner. If successful, it would represent a significant milestone toward achieving full reusability for the spacecraft.

In addition, the rocket’s second stage will aim for a splashdown in the Indian Ocean, mirroring the successful splashdown from the fourth mission in June. The launch will be webcast on SpaceX’s website and X profile starting 30 minutes before liftoff.

Key Objectives for Starship Flight 5

According to SpaceX, the main goal of this test flight is to progress toward the full and rapid reusability of the Starship system. The flight will aim for the first-ever return to the launch site and catch the Super Heavy booster, along with another Starship reentry and landing burn, targeting an on-point splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

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