The key facts

  • Starship caught by the tower for the first time after an orbital flight — 14 laps, more than 22 hours, 26 Starlink satellites deployed
  • This was the 15th test flight of the world's largest and most powerful rocket system
  • The Super Heavy booster catch did not happen: engines shut down early, the self-destruct protocol was triggered

First-ever catch of a spacecraft returning from orbit

The Starship spacecraft returned from its longest orbital flight yet and was caught by the launch tower's mechanical 'chopstick arms' above Launch Pad 2 in Texas. This is the first-ever catch of an upper stage returning from orbit and a key milestone in SpaceX's multi-year program to build a fully reusable rocket. The flight was the 15th test of the world's largest and most powerful rocket system.

Mission details

The 52-meter-tall Starship spent more than 22 hours in orbit, completing 14 laps around Earth, and deployed 26 Starlink internet satellites before returning. The catch took place at the Starbase facility; the tower has been nicknamed Mechazilla — its two huge mechanical arms catch returning rockets instead of letting them land on the ground. The company called the event 'an incredible achievement,' and SpaceX commentator Dan Huot exclaimed live on air: 'Baby, she's back!'

Booster failure and NASA's reaction

The Super Heavy first stage could not be caught. According to SpaceX representative Kate Tice, the booster's engines shut down too early, the guidance system determined it was not in the correct position, and it triggered the self-destruct protocol; engineers are investigating the cause. Accounts of the booster's demise differ between publications: according to one version, the stage exploded over the Gulf of Mexico shortly after launch; according to another, it was redirected to a splashdown in the gulf. NASA welcomed the result: the agency is paying billions of dollars to use Starship for landing Artemis program astronauts on the Moon and building a permanent lunar base. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman wrote on X: 'That was almost magic.'