An Updated Document Submitted
By SpaceX to the US FCC has revealed details about the company’s plan for the first Starship booster ‘catch’ attempt.
SpaceX Documents Says
Even if the mission went perfectly, Starship would not fully reach orbit on its first attempted spaceflight.
It Also Confirmed That SpaceX Had
No intention of recovering the upper stage or Super Heavy booster assigned to Starship’s launch debut
This Time Around, SpaceX Says That
The Super Heavy booster will “will separate[,] perform a partial return[,] and land in the Gulf of Mexico or return to Starbase and be caught by the launch tower.”
SpaceX’s Best-Case Plans
For the first Super Heavy booster to launch never strayed from a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico
Potentially Demonstrating That It
Would be safe to attempt booster recovery on the next launch but all but guaranteeing that first booster would be lost at sea.