Featured Image Source: @StarshipGazer via Twitter  

SpaceX Starbase employees are working around-the-clock to prepare the 400-foot-tall launch tower that will support the upcoming orbital Starship flight test. Earlier this month, SpaceX installed a Quick Disconnect (QD) arm [pictured above] to the tower that is designed to hold the launch vehicle safely at the launch mount to undergo preparation before it lifts off. The QD arm will work side-by-side with a giant claw-like arm called ‘Mechazilla’, that will be installed soon.

SpaceX founder Chief Engineer Elon Musk said that Mechazilla is designed to “catch” the giant Super Heavy rocket and Starship vehicles soon after launching payload to orbit, each would conduct a propulsive descent down to the launch pad and be ‘caught’ by Mechazilla in order to be reused. SpaceX has not released an official render to demonstrate how the vehicles will be caught, a digital artist created a video that shows how the robotic arms could work, linked below. 

Mechazilla Catching Super Heavy.#SpaceX #Starship @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/BR7zUuFkUA

— Erc X (@ErcXspace) August 3, 2021

SpaceX is working to develop a fully-reusable launch system capable of conducting at least three flights per day. Full and rapid rocket reusability is needed to enable humans to build a permanent base on the lunar surface and a sustainable colony on Mars. The company also envisions a future where Starship can be an alternative for airplanes by enabling point-to-point hypersonic travel on Earth. Musk previously said that Mechazilla could enable the Super Heavy rocket to be rapidly transferred back to launch mount for its next flight and that the mechanism will be “designed to have <1 hour turnaround.”

Some more QD arm shots now:

11:51 am 9/23/21 pic.twitter.com/1mA3YNDmm5

— Starship Gazer (@StarshipGazer) September 23, 2021

Engineers have not tested the Mechazilla concept yet. This week SpaceX started to show signs of plans to install the robotic arms. A Boca Chica Starbase employee shared in the NASASpaceflight online forum that SpaceX plans to move Super Heavy Booster 4 away from the orbital launch mount to make room to begin working on the Mechazilla arm installation as soon as this weekend.

Another rollout. Booster Stand heading down Highway 4. There's a claim they will remove Booster 4 from the OLS mount to allow for the installation of Mechazilla's chopsticks.
(https://t.co/FiyL0a5CAT)https://t.co/APLl78W8fn pic.twitter.com/5D9G8X9ZxD

— Chris Bergin - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) September 24, 2021

All this is happening as SpaceX started to pre-flight testing of the Starship SN20 prototype that is designed to conduct the first orbital flight test. Read more: SpaceX Initiates Starship SN20 Testing To Prepare For Orbital Flight. SN20 will be propelled to orbit by Super Heavy Booster 4. However, SpaceX does not plan to catch this booster during the first orbital flight attempt. Instead, it will land in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Boca Chica. Starship SN20 will continue a flight across Florida Straits and land in the water off the coast of Kauai in Hawaii, near a U.S. military base. SpaceX will likely feel confident to attempt to catch a Super Heavy booster after it flies a rocket prototype for the first time.

Booster 4:

8:58 am 9/27/21 pic.twitter.com/BJIwLgArY0

— Starship Gazer (@StarshipGazer) September 27, 2021

 Featured Image Source: @StarshipGazer via Twitter