Watch SpaceX capture a giant Starship booster on its launch pad

STORY: :: SpaceX successfully catches a rocket booster

on its launch pad in a novel technical masterpiece

:: October 13, 2024

:: Boca Chica, Texas

:: It’s the latest advance in the company’s endeavor

Build a reusable lunar and mars vehicle

The rocket’s “Super Heavy” first stage booster lifted off from the SpaceX launch facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, at 7:25 a.m. CT (1225 GMT), sending the second stage Starship rocket into space before separated at an altitude of about 70 km (40 mi) to begin returning to land.

The novel catch-landing method is the latest advance in SpaceX’s test-to-failure development campaign for a fully reusable rocket that will carry more cargo into orbit, carry people to the moon for NASA and ultimately reach Mars – the ultimate goal envisioned by CEO Elon Musk.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday approved SpaceX’s launch license for the Starship test after weeks of tension between the company and its regulator over the pace of launch approvals and fines related to SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9.