SpaceX makes first spaceship catch as Starship returns from orbit
Mechanical arms caught Starship 42 above Launch Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas, during the program’s 15th test flight.
SpaceX has caught its Starship spacecraft as it returned to Starbase, Texas, after spending a day in orbit. AFP-Jiji described the operation as the first spaceship catch.
Starship 42 made the return on its 15th test flight. Having survived the intense heat of atmospheric reentry, the vessel came into view through clouds, then descended slowly into mechanical arms positioned above Launch Pad 2.
The catch advanced the space industry’s decadeslong effort to develop fully reusable rocket systems. Such systems can sharply cut mission costs and enable launches at shorter intervals.
