Elon Musk’s SpaceX to attempt double catch of Starship rocket

Friday’s planned test flight

The 124m-tall rocket has two sections. Its lower Super Heavy Booster has already been caught three times by the launch tower’s “chopsticks,” while SpaceX says it will assess the Ship in space before deciding whether to try to catch it.

A step toward reuse

The Ship is due to continue into space and deploy 26 satellites for the Starlink constellation, which provides high-speed internet from space. Falcon 9 rockets fly more than a hundred times a year. Reusing their lower section has sharply reduced launch costs, and SpaceX says full reusability could change the economics of access to space.

NASA plans and development pace

SpaceX has a NASA contract to configure the Ship as a lander intended to carry astronauts to the lunar surface. The companies are also due to play key roles in Artemis III, currently planned for summer 2027.

Starship needs to make substantial progress in the coming months to meet those commitments, while its development has moved more slowly than SpaceX intended. Blue Origin’s return to flight, previously expected by the end of this year, has been delayed to early 2027.

Stakeholders watching closely

SpaceX shareholders and the US space agency will be monitoring the flight. The article says SpaceX went public earlier this year. A successful double catch would be visually striking, and full reuse could have major economic effects, the article says, quoting an unnamed male speaker.