SpaceX eyes tower catch for next Starship after auspicious end to 13th flight
Summary
SpaceX successfully completed the 13th full-scale Starship test flight, which landed safely in the Indian Ocean without catching fire. The company plans to try catching the Starship with mechanical arms on the launch tower in its next flight, aiming for a longer trip possibly into low-Earth orbit.Key Facts
- The 13th Starship test flight launched from South Texas and landed intact in the Indian Ocean near Australia.
- Previous Starship water landings usually ended with the rocket catching fire, but this time it remained mostly undamaged.
- Over 18,000 ceramic tiles on Starship’s heat shield survived extreme temperatures reaching 2,600° Fahrenheit (1,430° Celsius).
- SpaceX engineers used drones to inspect the heat shield after landing to gather detailed data.
- Elon Musk said the next flight might include catching the Starship with the launch tower’s mechanical arms as it hovers.
- SpaceX has successfully caught the Super Heavy booster before, but Starship will be a faster and more difficult catch.
- Keeping the heat shield durable is essential for quick reuse, as Starship is designed to fly multiple times daily.
- Signals and camera data were maintained after splashdown using SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network.
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