Ship returned to 'arms': SpaceX catches Starship for the first time

SpaceX has for the first time caught its Starship spacecraft using the mechanical arms of the Mechazilla launch tower. The 15th test flight took place on November 14: the ship returned to its base in Texas after deploying 26 Starlink satellites into orbit. The Super Heavy first stage was not captured.

SpaceX on Saturday, November 14, successfully caught the Starship spacecraft for the first time using the mechanical arms of the Mechazilla launch tower at the Starbase facility in Texas. This was the 15th test flight of the system. The spacecraft launched on Friday, November 13, spent over 22 hours in orbit at an altitude of about 275 kilometers, and deployed 26 Starlink satellites. The mission aimed to return both stages, but the capture of the Super Heavy first stage failed — the booster was directed into the Gulf of Mexico and destroyed. The Starship's return was successful: at an altitude of about 550 meters, the vehicle rotated vertically, braked with its engines, and was caught by the steel arms. Ynet authors Yaron Druckman and Itay Nevo explain the complexity of the maneuver: the ship enters the atmosphere at a speed of about 28,000 km/h, withstands extreme heat, and must precisely reach the landing site. The successful capture brings the creation of a fully reusable system closer, which could significantly reduce the cost of space launches. However, Starship still needs inspection and a re-flight to confirm readiness for regular missions.