SpaceX to attempt Starship catch with launch tower on next flight

SpaceX successfully completed the 13th test flight of its full-scale Starship rocket on Friday, marking a significant milestone with a precise splashdown in the Indian Ocean after traveling halfway around the globe. Unlike previous tests where Starship often disintegrated upon impact, this vehicle remained intact and floated on the water's surface.

Following the landing, SpaceX engineers conducted an inspection of the rocket's heat shield using drones. This provided crucial data on its resilience against extreme temperatures during atmospheric re-entry, a key challenge for the program.

Buoyed by this success, SpaceX is preparing for a more ambitious next step. Founder Elon Musk announced that the upcoming mission aims to catch the Starship with the launch tower's robotic arms while it hovers at high altitude before returning to the launch site.

While the Starship upper stage performed well, its Super Heavy booster experienced issues with its controlled landing. A restart of several engines failed, causing the booster to impact the ocean at high speed. SpaceX has achieved booster recoveries with the V2 version, but the V3 aims to enhance rapid reusability and reduce refurbishment time. The flight also included the first successful deployment of a Starlink V3 satellite.