SpaceX’s Starship returned to Earth and was caught by the mechanical arms of its launch tower at Starbase, Texas, on Saturday, November 14. The spacecraft completed a journey of about 22 hours before descending upright into the arms in what the Associated Press reported was the first successful catch of Starship after an orbital flight.
The catch involved Starship, the vehicle’s upper stage, not the entire rocket. SpaceX had planned to catch both Starship and its Super Heavy first-stage booster, but the booster exploded shortly after Friday’s liftoff, preventing the second capture.
Starship was secured above the ground by the tower’s giant mechanical arms. People gathered at the site cheered as the spacecraft was held in place, according to Euronews.
The successful return marks a milestone for SpaceX’s Starship program, while the failed booster catch means the planned two-part recovery was not completed. The flight demonstrated the tower’s ability to catch the returning spacecraft, but the booster’s explosion left that part of the recovery attempt unresolved.
Nicole French