Viewpoints
Opinion

SpaceX Challenge: Landing Manned Starships on Pillars of Fire

Landing options that are more forgiving include the classic parachute and the shallow reentry angle of a space plane.
SpaceX Challenge: Landing Manned Starships on Pillars of Fire
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Sept. 28, 2024. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images
Mike Fredenburg
|Updated:
0:00
Commentary

I am a longtime admirer of SpaceX and its many accomplishments. While I do not go out of my way to watch every Falcon 9 launch, I do go out of my way to watch Starship launches, and like many millions of people the world over, I was amazed and excited when the giant “Mechazilla” chopsticks at SpaceX’s Boca Chica, Texas, space center managed to grasp and secure Starship’s massive heavy booster, which had maneuvered its way to the landing/catching area with unprecedented precision. Those who follow these sorts of things have seen countless successful Falcon 9 boosters land on pillars of fire after maneuvering back to the launch site to land.

Mike Fredenburg
Mike Fredenburg
Author
Mike Fredenburg writes on military technology and defense matters with an emphasis on defense reform. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and master's degree in production operations management.