SpaceX to attempt double catch of Starship rocket on Friday
The company aims to use mechanical arms to retrieve both parts of the 124m-tall rocket during its next test flight.
SpaceX will attempt to catch both parts of its Starship rocket during a test flight on Friday, according to BBC News and Mint. The company plans to use mechanical arms on its launch tower to grab the rocket components mid-air as they return to Earth from space.
The 124m-tall rocket is scheduled to launch from the Starbase launchpad in Texas at 1645 local time. After six and a half minutes, the company will attempt to catch the Super Heavy booster. The top part, known as the Ship, will then travel to space to deploy 26 Starlink satellites before completing 14 orbits.
The second catch attempt for the Ship is planned for approximately 22 hours after liftoff. While SpaceX has caught the Super Heavy booster on three previous flights, the upper stage has previously splashed down in the ocean.
If successful, this would be the first full recovery of a rocket that has been to space. SpaceX Vice President of Launch Kiko Dontchev said the ability to catch both stages is a feat of engineering that could scale launch rates.
The mission is being monitored by Nasa, as the Starship is intended to serve as a lander for the Artemis programme to reach the Moon. Prof Malcolm Macdonald, President of the Royal Aeronautical Society, said a successful double catch could fundamentally change the economics of accessing space.