HOW THINGS CLICK — ROCKET RECOVERY
60 seconds / 1080 × 1920 / 30 fps

00:00 → 00:05 | Catch a falling rocket
This tower just caught a rocket. How does it avoid disaster?

00:05 → 00:12 | First, remove the speed
Coming home means killing speed. Fire too late, and even full thrust cannot save the landing.

00:12 → 00:20 | Steer through the air
These grid fins bite into the air. Sensors track every movement, and the computer keeps correcting the path.

00:20 → 00:29 | Point the thrust
Near the ground, the engine tilts. Its thrust pushes the booster sideways as the landing burn bleeds off speed.

00:29 → 00:37 | Four legs. One landing.
Falcon Nine unfolds four legs. The engine does the braking. Only after touchdown do the legs carry the rocket.

00:37 → 00:47 | The tower takes the load
Super Heavy takes a different route. The tower supports two dedicated catch points, not the grid fins. The engines shut down. The tower takes the weight.

00:47 → 00:55 | Try changing the timing
A little more wind. A later ignition. Suddenly, that perfect return becomes a missed landing. Can you get the timing right?

00:55 → 01:00 | Your turn to land it
Land it yourself. Try the interactive lab at How Things Click dot com.