Starship returns from orbit and is caught by launch-pad arms in SpaceX’s first successful in-flight capture

The Story

SpaceX’s Starship returned from orbit on Saturday and was caught in midair by giant mechanical arms at the launch pad where it lifted off, marking the first-ever capture of a Starship after it returns from space.

The spacecraft’s journey began roughly 22 hours earlier, following Friday’s launch of the vehicle’s full-size Starship from SpaceX’s Starship base near the U.S.-Mexico border. The upper-stage Starship separated from its booster, reached orbit, and released 26 advanced Starlink satellites.

SpaceX reported the Starship continued circling Earth about 165 miles (265 kilometres) above the surface and completed 14 laps, with live views of the craft and Earth streamed via Starlink. It was SpaceX’s 15th flight of a full-scale Starship since 2023 and its only second trip to orbit.

SpaceX said everything on the spacecraft, including its vital heat shield, appeared to be working well after the return.

The catch came even after a setback earlier in the mission: the first-stage booster exploded shortly after Friday’s liftoff from Texas, and wreckage remained in the Gulf of Mexico and was cordoned off by buoys.

SpaceX said the booster recovery failure happened because the booster’s engines stopped firing too soon on the way back down, and its guidance system detected it was not in the correct position and initiated a watery detour and self-destruction. Engineers said they are still investigating the cause.

During the return, cameras panned the spacecraft as it hovered high above the launch pad, supported by the arms of the tower. SpaceX commentator Dan Huot shouted, “Can you believe it? Look at her! Baby, she’s back!”

SpaceX said the successful capture supports the company’s goal of fully reusing Starship, which it says is crucial for rapid and low-cost reusability. The company noted it had already completed three previous booster catches before Saturday’s outcome.

NASA welcomed Saturday’s news. The space agency is paying billions of dollars for Starship to land Artemis astronauts on the moon later this decade and to help build a permanent lunar base. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a post on X that it was “almost magic.”