Image: SpaceX
SpaceX has unveiled the first grid fin for its next-generation Super Heavy booster, featuring a significantly updated design that’s 50% larger and stronger than the current iteration. The redesign also reduces the number of fins from four to three, while still maintaining control authority — and even enabling the booster to descend at steeper angles of attack.
One notable change with the new design is that SpaceX now plans to “catch” returning Super Heavy boosters using the grid fins themselves, rather than the small lifting points previously used. This shift marks the first time the company has publicly confirmed the change, which was hinted at visually — but not discussed — during Elon Musk’s May presentation.
By integrating the catch function directly into the grid fins, SpaceX reduces the need for separate lift hardware and simplifies the recovery process. SpaceX said the new grid fins will be used for both vehicle lift and the catch procedure with the company’s massive launch tower arms.
According to SpaceX, a newly added catch point and a lower mounting position on the booster will allow the fins to align perfectly with the tower arms. This lower placement not only optimizes catching but also shields the fins from the intense heat produced by Starship’s engines during hot-staging. Additionally, the fin shaft, actuator, and fixed structure are now housed inside the booster’s main fuel tank for improved protection and integration.
SpaceX shared images of the new design, showing off the intricate, honeycomb-like surface pattern that helps control the booster’s descent through the atmosphere. The scale is impressive — these fins are among the largest aerodynamic control surfaces ever built for a rocket.
This update comes as SpaceX gears up for the 10th orbital flight test of its Starship spacecraft later this month, following the loss of the previous prototype during a static fire test in June. With bigger, stronger, and more versatile grid fins, SpaceX appears to be laying the groundwork for smoother — and possibly more spectacular — Super Heavy booster recoveries in the future.
