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SpaceX will try to 'catch' its Super Heavy rocket using the launch tower
Wisethero
English - February 04, 2021 17:30 - 9 minutes - 21.9 MBSociety & Culture Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
SpaceX might not rely on legs to land its next-generation booster rockets. Elon Musk has revealed that his company will try to catch the future Super Heavy Booster using the launch tower arm, with the grid fins shouldering the load. This process would effectively hook the rocket using the tower arm before its reaches the ground.
This would require very precise positioning, and there's still a long way to go when Super Heavy flight testing might not start until a few years from now at the earliest. If successful, thought, the catch method could save SpaceX from adding bulky legs to its rockets. A truly precise manoeuvring system might even reduce turnaround time by letting SpaceX relaunch the rocket without having to move it from its landing position.
That could be crucial to SpaceX's goals. Musk and company ultimately want a more reusable rocket system than the Falcon series, as that would help Startship launch on the rapid schedules desired for a range of mission, including trips to the Moon and Mars. A booster that doesn't require much more than refilling could help accomplish that feat.