SpaceX has made a critical design change to the Super Heavy booster of its massive Starship rocket, which is being developed for the Mars mission. The company has removed one of the four landing fins on the rocket’s Super Heavy booster. Instead, it is using three new grid fins, 50 percent larger and more durable, to better guide the vehicle during landing.
SpaceX to Redesign Starship
The complex honeycomb-like structure of the new grid fins is striking. SpaceX describes them as some of the largest aerodynamic control surfaces ever created for a rocket.
The fins direct airflow through them to control attitude and flight path during landing and reentry. This new design, with its larger surface area and reinforced structure, allows the booster to descend at a steeper angle and in a controlled manner.
The new fins also integrate with the booster’s capture system, which is integrated with the launch tower. These redesigned components align with the tower’s capture arms, designed to catch the descending booster from the air.
SpaceX added a new catch point to the booster and mounted the fins lower to better align with the tower’s arms. This change allows the tower to directly catch the rocket, eliminating the need for a landing pad.
The lower position of the fins also protects them from the intense heat of the rocket engines. Furthermore, the fins’ internal components, such as the shafts, are now located within the booster’s main fuel tank for better protection. The Starship project has experienced several failed test flights in recent months.
In a test in May, the Super Heavy failed to return to the pad as planned and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. The mother ship exploded over the Indian Ocean shortly after resuming its flight. In June, the rocket’s upper stage exploded during a ground test.
SpaceX is preparing for its 10th orbital flight test, which will demonstrate the new design. The next Starship launch is expected to occur today, between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. local time.
