SpaceX aims to catch Starship upper stage mid-air in Texas
The company intends to use mechanical arms to recover the spacecraft instead of performing ocean splashdowns.
SpaceX is preparing for its first land-based recovery of the Starship upper stage by attempting to catch it with mechanical arms at its Texas launch site, according to a report by the Times of India.
The recovery process involves the Super Heavy booster returning to the launch tower shortly after liftoff to be caught by giant arms. The upper stage is expected to orbit the Earth 14 times before starting its return journey, with the catch attempt scheduled roughly 22 hours after liftoff.
Starship is a two-stage launch system standing 124 metres tall. The Super Heavy booster uses 33 Raptor engines, while the 52-metre upper stage is powered by six Raptor engines. The fully fuelled system weighs approximately 5,533 metric tonnes, per a SpaceX June 2026 prospectus.
Elon Musk stated he expects the company to reach a weekly launch schedule for Starship by the first half of 2027. Successful recovery and refurbishment of both stages could lower costs and increase launch frequency.
The system is also part of the Nasa Artemis programme to carry astronauts to the Moon. Nasa has provided about $3.2 billion for development, while SpaceX has invested at least $15 billion of its own funds. The two organisations are targeting a human lunar landing by 2028.