SpaceX Catches Starship Upper Stage From Orbit for the First Time
SpaceX's launch-tower arms caught Starship's upper stage at Starbase, Texas, on Saturday after it orbited Earth 14 times. The milestone followed the loss of the mission's Super Heavy booster Friday.
SpaceX caught the upper stage of its Starship rocket after its return from orbit Saturday, using the mechanical arms on a launch tower at Starbase, Texas, to complete a first for the company's test program.
The spacecraft circled Earth 14 times before descending to the tower's "chopstick" arms, CNBC reported. The recovery came during Starship's 15th test flight.
The mission began Friday and was the first to attempt catches of both the Super Heavy booster and the Ship upper stage. The booster did not return to the launch tower. It was diverted toward an offshore splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico and exploded before hitting the water.
The upper stage continued its mission and deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites before returning Saturday, according to CNBC and Space.com.
Recovering and reusing Starship is central to SpaceX's plans for satellite launches and future missions beyond Earth. The rocket is also expected to support NASA's plans to carry astronauts and cargo between lunar orbit and the Moon's surface.