SpaceX press releases and credible news reports

SpaceX's Starship, World's Largest Rocket, Successfully Caught Mid-Air by Mechazilla

Jan 16, 2025, 10:46 PM

SpaceX has successfully caught its Super Heavy booster for the second time using the "chopsticks" mechanism on the launch tower, known as Mechazilla. The booster was caught in mid-air during Starship test flight 7, which launched from Starbase, Texas, at 5:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 16, 2025. The Starship, the biggest rocket ever built, carried out a mission that included a critical test of deploying 10 "Starlink simulators" from the rocket's payload bay once in space. The smooth landing and catch of the booster mark another milestone for SpaceX's efforts to develop reusable launch systems.