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Major advancements in rocket reusability are central to Musk's plans. The ideal scenario involves Starship booster and ship being caught by giant robotic arms (the "Mechazilla arms") after landing, rather than traditional landing pads. Musk describes the process as "excitement guaranteed success", highlighting the unprecedented scale and ambition of catching and reusing giant rockets in mid-air—an operation unlike anything attempted before.
Starship itself is a behemoth: the largest flying object ever built, weighing around 5,000 tons with a diameter of about 30 feet. The design has evolved from its initial iterations, with recent improvements focusing on enhanced heat shields and secondary structural elements to withstand the harsh conditions of repeated launches and landings.