SpaceX Caught a Skyscraper Sized Rocket With Arms

In 2024, a rocket the size of a skyscraper fell from the sky, and a giant tower caught it in mid-air.

The Super Heavy booster stands over 70 meters tall and weighs hundreds of tonnes. Most rockets land on legs. SpaceX decided to catch this one instead, using two massive metal arms.

The idea sounds insane. After launch, the booster flips around, relights its engines, and steers back toward the exact tower it launched from. In the final seconds it slows to a near hover, and two enormous arms close around it and take its weight. On the very first attempt, in October 2024, it worked, plucking a returning booster clean out of the air.

Catching the rocket instead of landing it means no heavy legs and almost no repair time. In theory, the booster could be refueled and flown again the same day. It is the closest thing yet to a rocket that flies like an airplane.

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