GoKawiilMusk says SpaceX will attempt to catch Starship and its booster next launch
Elon Musk said during SpaceX's third-quarter earnings call that the company plans to try recovering both stages of its Starship system—the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft—during its next flight. The attempt would use launch-tower arms to catch the vehicle mid-air, aiming for what Musk called the first full recovery of an orbital launch system in history.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
A successful catch could validate SpaceX's rapid-reuse approach, potentially lowering launch costs and turnaround times for future missions, including Starlink deployments and NASA's lunar program. Musk's caveat that success 'is not guaranteed' suggests SpaceX is managing expectations after a recent flight that included an engine shutdown, framing this as part of an iterative testing process rather than a sure win.
- SpaceX plans to attempt catching both Starship and its booster during its next launch.
- Musk called a full recovery a historic first for an orbital launch vehicle.
- The company says it will continue frequent Starship test flights even if this attempt fails.
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Published there as: “SpaceX will try catching Starship and its booster for first time, Musk says”
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