SpaceX Starship Booster’s Fins Also Deformed During Flight 5 Shows Footage

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SpaceX's Raptor engines on the Starship Super Heavy booster weren't the only equipment on the booster that was warped after Starship Flight 5. A closer look at the test's footage shows that the booster's grid fins were also disfigured after the second stage Starship spacecraft separated from the first stage to start its journey. These fins are essential for the booster's landing, and despite the damage, they worked well to guide Starship Super Heavy back to the launch pad for the first tower catch of the Starship program. SpaceX also uses grid fins on the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage booster, but unlike the Starship test vehicles, the Falcon 9's fins are made out of titanium.

SpaceX Starship Super Heavy Booster's Grid Fins Worked Well Despite Being Deformed During Flight 5

Since Starship Flight 5 was the first test that saw the Super Heavy booster return to the launch pad, SpaceX could share detailed views of the rocket's engine bay. These showed the Raptor 3 engines at the rocket's base glowing red hot despite not firing as the booster cut through the atmosphere for landing. The engine glow is not visible on the Falcon 9 boosters, and after Flight 5, Elon Musk confirmed that some of the booster's engine nozzles had warped from the heating.

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Musk added that the fix was easy, but he did not share details about Starship's grid fins, likely because, at the time of his initial assessment, SpaceX might not have physically inspected them. However, a closer look at Starship Flight 5 footage shows that the fins did go out of shape during stage separation. However, as the outcome of Flight 5 confirms, they were nevertheless able to perform as expected to safely guide the rocket back to the launch pad.

These fins are likely manufactured out