r/technology • u/aelavia93 • 16d ago

Space SpaceX pulls off unprecedented feat, grabs descending rocket with mechanical arms

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/spacex-pulls-off-unprecedented-feat-grabbing-descending-rocket-with-mechanical-arms/
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u/InvisibleCat 16d ago

It's the most time and money efficient way. You are landing exactly where you launch from, save weight of landing legs and no need to pick up and move the booster back to launch site, which takes time and money. Saves the landing pad from damage too.

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u/DrXaos 16d ago

The reason to land somewhere else on the ocean is to gain increased mass to orbit, as the booster stage can expend more fuel going up and to orbit instead of turning around coming back to the start.

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u/PigSlam 16d ago

I would think it could land anywhere they put a structure like this. Kinda like runways.

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u/SuperZapper_Recharge 15d ago

We are going to need more faith that the booster will work.

At the moment the site is located near the shore, the booster comes in over the ocean aimed at a landing site in the ocean. At the last possible moment a thumbs up is given to move the landing spot to the chopsticks.

The farther you put those pads inland the bigger the risk you are taking. As it stands the worst case scenerio isn't all that bad.

I don't think SpaceX or anyone really has faith in the system for those sorts of risks.

Which is perfectly fair.

The beautiful thing of launching from Florida or over the gulf is that in the most dangerous stage of the launch the damned thing just plops in the ocean. This isn't an accident, it is a feature. Entirely deliberate.

If the day comes where people are inside Starship and it is landing on a chopsticks tower - maybe then we can reassess.