SpaceX replaces heavy rocket landing legs with a pair of giant mechanical arms

During the fifth flight of the Starship and SuperHeavy system, SpaceX successfully tested a radical recovery method. Instead of relying on traditional landing legs and shock absorbers, the booster was caught mid-air by mechanical arms attached to the launch tower.

The fifth flight test demonstrated significant progress in reusable launch technology. By maneuvering the SuperHeavy booster directly into the grasp of the tower's arms, SpaceX has effectively eliminated the need for complex, heavy landing hardware on the vehicle itself.

Simultaneously, the Starship stage executed a precise landing maneuver near a buoy in the Indian Ocean. Despite sustaining noticeable damage to its control surfaces during atmospheric entry, the vehicle successfully guided itself to its target, showcasing the high level of accuracy achieved by the system's guidance software.

Source: How SpaceX Landed A Rocket... Without Landing Legs. Catching a Giant Rocket With Giant Chopsticks