Mechazilla Chopsticks
How SpaceX's Starship Rocket was Captured Mid-Air by Mechazilla A Groundbreaking Achievement On a clear day at SpaceX's Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, a monumental event unfolded that stunned the aerospace community. The massive Super Heavy booster of the Starship rocket descended from the sky, maneuvering with pinpoint precision as it approached the launch tower. Unlike previous landings, this time the booster did not rest on a landing pad but instead was snatched mid-air by the launch tower’s enormous pair of mechanical arms (or chopsticks), affectionately nicknamed "Mechazilla." Fig. Starship Chopsticks (Source: Tesla Oracle) The fifth test flight thus marked the first successful attempt to capture a booster in this manner, showcasing an engineering marvel in reusable rocket technology. The success brought SpaceX one step closer to realizing its ambitious vision of a fully reusable, rapidly deployable launch system, potentially revolutionizing space travel. Imp...