SpaceX Plans Historic Double Starship Catch in Upcoming Test Launch
SpaceX is set to attempt a groundbreaking maneuver that has never been accomplished before: catching both stages of its Starship rocket during the same test flight.
The company plans to bring down both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage using the Mechazilla tower arms—also known as "chopsticks"—at the launch site. This would mark the first time a double catch has been successfully executed, representing a significant step forward in the development of the world's most powerful launch system.
Elon Musk has described the upcoming attempt as a "profound technology milestone." The successful implementation of this catch-and-catch methodology could streamline recovery operations for the massive rocket, potentially enabling rapid turnaround between launches.
SpaceX has already demonstrated its ability to catch the Super Heavy booster using the Mechazilla tower, but catching the upper stage—Ship—has proven more challenging. This double-catch approach could become the standard recovery method for Starship, reducing reliance on traditional landing legs and simplifying the vehicle's design.
The Starship program represents SpaceX's next-generation fully reusable launch vehicle, designed to carry both cargo and crew to Earth orbit, the Moon, and eventually Mars.