SpaceX has revealed a major upgrade to its Starship Super Heavy rocket, showcasing new, enormous grid fins that will help catch the world’s largest rocket booster. 
These new fins are part of SpaceX’s ambitious plan to catch the Super Heavy booster with the launch tower, a feature never before seen in rocket design.
The Super Heavy booster is key to the Starship program, which aims to be the largest rocket ever built. Earlier this year, SpaceX successfully caught its Super Heavy booster three times, despite some challenges, including a failed ocean splashdown during the latest test flight. The company has made major strides in boosting the rocket’s reliability, having previously overcome problems with engine performance and stage separation.
The grid fins are a crucial part of this innovation. These fins are much larger and stronger than previous models, now 50% bigger and capable of controlling the booster with only three fins instead of four. This makes it possible to fly the booster at steeper angles during reentry, reducing air friction and saving propellant.
In addition to improving flight performance, the new grid fins will play a key role in catching the booster on the launch tower. By adjusting the location of the fins and adding a new catch point, SpaceX has designed a system that allows the fins to latch onto the tower, enabling the booster to be reused for future flights.
Despite these upgrades, SpaceX’s next step is to test the Starship Flight 10, with the upper stage ship recently undergoing engine tests ahead of its next launch.