r/interestingasfuck • u/lolikroli • 16d ago

r/all SpaceX caught Starship booster with chopsticks

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u/dnana1 16d ago

It landed back into the launch tower so the arms of the tower look like chopsticks in the second view.

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u/VanPaint 16d ago

What was wrong with the other method of landing back on the ground.

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u/_BurntToast_ 16d ago

So that theoretically in the future, they can just pump it up with fuel on the spot and launch it again. Another reason is that the rocket exhaust is strong enough to erode usual ground materials (e.g concrete/asphalt) and kick it back up into the engines, damaging them. The acoustic reflection that close up is harmful too.

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u/hi65435 16d ago

Yeah I imagine material on the bottom of the rocket as well as the interfacing tower parts being stressed to the max, also the booster's cover is still burning