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As it prepares for the fifth Starship test flight, SpaceX is testing the launch tower at its facilities in Boca Chica for the crucial tower catch planned for the next test. The previous Starship test was a success as both the booster and the ship successfully splashed down in the water, and immediately after the test, Elon Musk confirmed that the next test would further raise the stakes. SpaceX's Starship recovery profile requires catching the first stage booster with the launch tower, and right now, the firm is testing the tower arms by pinching them around a test article.
SpaceX Tests Launch Tower Chopsticks In Texas Ahead Of Fifth Starship Test Flight
Catching the booster with the tower instead of having it land on a remote drone ship is key to SpaceX's goal to make Starship rapidly reusable. This is because if the rocket is 'caught' at the pad, then the time it takes to refuel it and conduct other minor repairs drops, allowing SpaceX to launch Starship in quick succession. A rapid cadence is essential to the rocket's key missions since flights to the Moon and Mars will require launching propellant tankers first before a crewed or cargo flight is launched to refuel in space.
Since no other rocket company or government organization has caught a rocket on the pad to date, SpaceX has to test the technologies first before it can implement them on crucial operational missions. On this front, June has seen the firm roll out the forward section of the booster to the pad to test the tower's 'chopsticks.' These are giant arms that also lift the second stage Starship on the booster for test flights and operations, and footage from local media channel NASASpaceflight shows that SpaceX appears to be fine tuning its chopstick operation ahead of the fifth Starship test flight.
During testing today, the launch pad's chopsticks closed and opened multiple times, with the Super Heavy booster placed between them. Judging by the visuals, SpaceX appears to be simulating a test environment where the rocket booster returns to the launch tower for the catch. However, since it had only just started to test the tower for the catch, the chopsticks ended up hitting the booster segment multiple times as they slowly closed around it.
A successful tower catch during the fifth Starship flight would be a remarkable achievement for SpaceX since it would make the attempt a success on the first go. Similarly, the worst case scenario could see the tower destroyed or damaged if the chopsticks either fail to catch the rocket or if they damage it and rupture its tanks. Since the catch will be reserved for the end of the flight, the rocket should have only reserve fuel for its landing burn, and statements by Musk have also shared that the landing profile will involve Super Heavy testing its systems away from the tower before it approaches for the catch.
Even if the catch attempt on flight 5 fails, it will provide SpaceX with ample data to make an attempt on another test. The primary aim of the Starship tests is to gather data, and experiences from flights one to three have allowed SpaceX to successfully land them in the water during flight 4.
HA! And now we know why they use a test tank for these tests. #SLAPhttps://t.co/fkcXWYv7Vv pic.twitter.com/EPalY02JGm
— Chris Bergin - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) June 26, 2024
