SpaceX catches returning Starship with launch tower arms in Texas
SpaceX's Starship spacecraft was caught by mechanical arms on its launch tower at Starbase, Texas, after a 22-hour flight. It is the first time a Starship returning from space has been caught by the tower.
SpaceX, the US space company, caught its Starship spacecraft in midair with the giant mechanical arms of its launch tower at Starbase, Texas, on Saturday, November 14. The vehicle came back to Earth after a 22-hour journey. According to the source, it is the first time a Starship returning from space has been caught by the tower, and it is described as a major milestone for the company's space programme.
The spacecraft descended upright, and the tower's arms secured it above the ground. Crowds gathered at the site cheered as the catch took place.
Planned double catch not achieved
SpaceX did not manage to carry out its intended double catch, however. The first-stage booster of the launch vehicle exploded shortly after liftoff on Friday, so both pieces of hardware could not be caught this time.
What comes next
SpaceX intends to begin launching Starships from Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the coming months. Starship is also central to the plans of NASA, the US space agency, for future Artemis missions to the Moon.
