SpaceX marked a significant advancement in rocket reusability on Mar. 7 when the launch tower successfully caught its Super Heavy booster during Starship’s eighth test flight, though the mission ended with the loss of the Starship upper stage.
What Happened: The mission launched from Starbase in Texas after overcoming technical delays that had scrubbed an earlier Mar. 3 attempt. The flight featured several critical tests, including deploying four Starlink satellite simulators and reentry experiments designed to advance the Starship system’s capabilities.
The Super Heavy booster executed a precision boost-back burn and was captured by “Mechazilla,” SpaceX’s innovative launch tower equipped with giant mechanical arms. This catch represents a crucial milestone in SpaceX’s quest for full rocket reusability, a cornerstone of CEO Elon Musk‘s vision for reducing space access costs.
Musk also promoted the Starship launch attempt on X.
“Mechazilla has caught Super Heavy booster,” SpaceX confirmed on X, showcasing the technology that has been in development since the arms were installed in 2021.
Why It Matters: While the booster capture proved successful, the Starship upper stage encountered problems similar to those experienced during Flight 7. After restarting a single Raptor engine in space—a critical capability for future lunar and Mars missions—SpaceX lost contact with the vehicle, which subsequently crashed.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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