SpaceX Unveils Massive Grid Fins for Catching the World’s Largest Rocket at the Launch Tower

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SpaceX has officially unveiled the impressive new grid fins designed to capture the upcoming Starship Super Heavy rocket boosters. As the largest rocket currently under development globally, Starship aims to revolutionize space travel and is uniquely engineered to be caught by its launch tower. In a recent social media announcement, SpaceX shared details about the enhancements made to these grid fins, which will optimize the performance of the next-generation Super Heavy booster.

Redesigning Grid Fins: Enhanced Efficiency and Reusability

In 2025, SpaceX has conducted tests with the second-generation Starship upper stage, maintaining the use of the first-generation Super Heavy booster, which has demonstrated reliability in earlier trials. After addressing earlier performance issues, such as engine malfunctions and stage separation difficulties, SpaceX successfully executed three booster captures. However, during the latest Starship test flight, the booster experienced challenges with a failed soft splashdown in the ocean.

The test also included attempts to fly the booster at a steep angle during re-entry, aiming to minimize air resistance and conserve propellant. This experimentation laid the groundwork for the new grid fins. SpaceX emphasized the significance of grid fins in their operations, as they play a vital role in enabling propulsive landings for Falcon 9 rocket boosters.

The first grid fin for the next generation Super Heavy booster. The redesigned grid fins are 50% larger and higher strength, moving from four fins to three for vehicle control while enabling the booster to descend at higher angles of attack.pic.twitter.com/Nc6bavBHD8

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 13, 2025

In their recent announcement, SpaceX disclosed that the redesigned grid fins are not only 50% larger but also constructed with higher strength materials compared to their predecessors. This innovation permits the deployment of three fins instead of four, optimizing the vehicle’s control during descent at elevated angles.

These revamped fins are crucial for the booster-catching process, akin to the Falcon 9 design. SpaceX plans to fully utilize the Starship booster through a system where it can be autonomously caught by the launch tower, refueled, and reused in subsequent missions. Designers have strategically relocated the catch point and adjusted the position of the fins to ensure efficient tower capture. Moreover, the components responsible for fin control, including shafts and actuators, will now reside within the fuel tank of the booster itself.

It’s noteworthy that these advanced fins may also be compatible with the third-generation Super Heavy booster. Elon Musk recently shared a rendering featuring the newly designed fins and confirmed that it pertains to the next-generation Starship model. As of now, SpaceX has yet to conduct Starship Flight 10, with recent media reports indicating that the upper stage ship has returned to the launch site for engine testing. Just today, the company completed an engine pump test in preparation for the ship’s next phase.

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