By — Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/spacexs-starship-returns-from-orbit-and-is-captured-by-launch-pad-arms-in-a-dramatic-first Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter SpaceX's Starship returns from orbit and is captured by launch pad arms in a dramatic first Science Nov 14, 2026 4:56 PM EST CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX's Starship made a triumphant return to Earth on Saturday, caught in midair by giant mechanical arms where its journey began 22 hours earlier. READ MORE: SpaceX's Starship soars into orbit after booster malfunction thwarts double catch attempt It was the grand finale that Elon Musk and his team hoped for — the first-ever capture of a Starship flying back from space. But with the first-stage booster exploding shortly after Friday's liftoff from Texas, the company fell short of its desired double catch. Wreckage remained in the Gulf of Mexico, cordoned off by buoys, as the stainless steel, bullet-shaped spacecraft lowered itself upright at the launch pad. The dramatic, sci-fi-like capture helped blot out the booster's messy miss. Cameras panned the spacecraft up…
SpaceX's Starship returns from orbit and is captured by launch pad arms in a dramatic first
In short
The test flight saw the spacecraft circle Earth 14 times at an altitude of 165 miles, successfully deploying 26 Starlink satellites across its 22-hour journey. Although the upper stage executed a smooth landing recovery, an attempted double capture failed when the first-stage booster suffered an engine malfunction and exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. Operations are now expanding toward Florida's Kennedy Space Center to prepare for upcoming Artemis missions. NASA plans to conduct an orbital docking exercise involving both Starship and Blue Origin landers ahead of a targeted 2028 crewed lunar landing.
Key points
- Successfully capturing the returning spacecraft demonstrates the full reusability require…: Successfully capturing the returning spacecraft demonstrates the full reusability required for future missions to the moon and Mars.
- SpaceX plans to expand its Starship launch operations to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in F…: SpaceX plans to expand its Starship launch operations to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida within the coming months.
- NASA continues to invest billions into Starship to serve as a crew lander for the Artemis…: NASA continues to invest billions into Starship to serve as a crew lander for the Artemis program's targeted 2028 lunar mission.