SpaceX catches returning Starship in launch tower arms after orbital flight
Starship completed 14 orbits of Earth and deployed 26 next-generation Starlink satellites before returning to the launch site
SpaceX reached a major milestone in its Starship program overnight Saturday into Sunday, catching the returning spacecraft with its launch tower’s mechanical arms after more than 22 hours in orbit.
The maneuver, attempted for the first time after an orbital flight, succeeded despite challenging weather at the company’s South Texas launch site. Cheers erupted in mission control and among spectators nearby as the spacecraft settled into the tower’s arms.
The achievement advances SpaceX’s efforts to develop a fully reusable spacecraft for missions to the Moon and eventually Mars.
Starship lifted off at 12:45 am Israel time on its 15th test mission. It completed 14 orbits of Earth and deployed 26 next-generation Starlink satellites before returning to the launch site.
Booster Lost After Catch Attempt Abandoned
The mission’s earlier booster recovery attempt was unsuccessful. SpaceX diverted the Super Heavy booster toward the Gulf after an onboard problem ruled out a return to the launch tower. It performed a landing maneuver over the water before its flight termination system activated, destroying it off the Texas coast.
SpaceX initially attributed the aborted recovery to a problem with the booster’s guidance, navigation and control system. Elon Musk later said the booster had too little fuel remaining to complete the landing. He said improvements to engine performance and flight software would help preserve enough fuel for future recovery attempts.
The booster’s loss did not prevent Starship from continuing its mission. Roughly 20 minutes later, engineers restarted one of the spacecraft’s six engines to complete its entry into orbit. Starship then deployed its satellites before making its successful return.
SpaceX is seeking to increase the pace of testing as it develops Starship for satellite launches and future crewed missions. The company is also competing with Blue Origin to develop lunar landing capabilities for NASA’s Artemis program.