How SpaceX caught a rocket in midair and launched the Europa Clipper

In the early morning hours of Oct. 13, SpaceX launched another Starship test, the fifth so far.

The launch, like previous ones, was impressive enough. But the Superheavy first stage, descending after being separated from the Starship second stage, and then being plucked out of the air by the Mechazilla arms back at the launch pad, was a whole new level of impressive. They did it successfully on the first try.

About 40 minutes later, the Starship achieved a pinpoint splashdown in the Indian Ocean. On the whole, the fifth test of the Starship/Superheavy was a resounding success.

The flight was fraught with irony because, just a week earlier, the Federal Aviation Administration was still maintaining that it would not permit the test to proceed until late November. However, something changed and the government agency issued its launch license the day before the test. Was pressure brought to bear? In any case, the FAA developed a welcome sense of promptness that expedited the approval.

The test flight and its spectacular conclusion was a tiny step in the Starship’s development and a giant leap on the journey back to the moon and onward to Mars. The sight of the massive Superheavy being plucked out of the air by the Mechazilla arms is iconic and will last in human consciousness until such sights become normal, when Starship is operational.

The following day, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launched the Europa Clipper on one of the greatest voyages of exploration in history. In five and a half years, the robotic probe will orbit Jupiter. For at least the following four years, it will make successive passes of Jupiter’s moon Europa, delving into its secrets.

Europa has an icy layer that conceals a warm water ocean. Many scientists believe that the ocean may contain alien life. If Europa Clipper can find evidence of such life, the event would be pivotal in the history of science.

Ars Technica has a great account of how Europa Clipper came to be. John Culberson, then a Houston-area congressman, played a crucial role in shepherding the project from concept to the launch pad. 

Culberson could be expected to support NASA projects, given the proximity of the Johnson Spaceflight Center to his district. But he supported Europa Clipper, which is not run out of the Johnson Spaceflight Center, out of love for space exploration and not just money and jobs for his constituents.

Unfortunately, Culberson paid a terrible political price for his support for Europa Clipper. During the 2018 midterm elections, which took place a year after Hurricane Harvey inundated the Houston area, a Houston Chronicle editorial endorsing a corporate litigator named Lizzie Fletcher accused Culberson of caring more about the waters of Europa than the waters of Harvey that had destroyed so many homes and businesses. That editorial was later turned into an attack ad by the Independence USA PAC. The accusation, which the Planetary Society termed anti-science, was false and unfair. But it did play a role in ending Culberson’s political career.

It should be noted that Fletcher, now a member of the House of Representatives, never moved to transfer Europa Clipper funding to FEMA, even though flooding has been a feature of all hurricanes, such as Helene and Milton. The trope had served the purpose of putting her in Congress.

Elon Musk has received great praise for his contributions to space exploration, especially catching the Superheavy out of the air, and not just from the usual suspects.

Senator and vice-presidential candidate JD Vance posted, “I believe the destiny of this country is to conquer the stars. Whatever your views of Elon’s politics, this is something that should inspire all of us.” It should be noted that, should Donald Trump win a second term as president, Vance, as vice president, would be the chair of the National Space Council.

The plaudits for Musk have not been universal. Law professor Jonathon Turley noted recently how the California Coastal Commission refused permission for the Air Force to allow SpaceX to launch up to 50 rockets a year from Vandenburg Space Force Base. The reason has nothing to do with the environment, but rather the fact that the majority of the commissioners disapprove of how Musk runs X, the social media network once known as Twitter.

The decision was quite curious, considering that California is bleeding businesses and residents. Musk has vowed to file a lawsuit against the commission.

Sadly, despite Vance’s statement, toxic politics can still overshadow a man’s undoubted accomplishments in the minds of some.

Mark R. Whittington is the author of “Why is It So Hard to Go Back to the Moon?” as well as “The Moon, Mars and Beyond” and, most recently, “Why is America Going Back to the Moon?” He blogs at Curmudgeons Corner.