SpaceX completes first-ever spaceship capture
SpaceX successfully captured its Starship spacecraft after its longest orbital flight, marking a key milestone in developing a fully reusable rocket system.
The Starship spacecraft returned from its longest-yet orbital flight on Saturday, descending smoothly between the mechanical "chopstick arms" above Launch Pad 2 in Texas. This marked the first successful recovery of the rocket system's centerpiece vessel in SpaceX's decade-long effort to develop a fully reusable rocket.
Major Milestone Achieved
The mission was the 15th test flight of the world's biggest and most powerful rocket system. During its 14 orbits around Earth lasting over 22 hours, Starship deployed 26 Starlink satellites. This uncrewed mission launched on Friday and represents a crucial step in SpaceX's multibillion-dollar development program.
NASA welcomed the achievement, as the space agency is investing billions in Starship to land Artemis astronauts on the moon later this decade and establish a permanent lunar base.
It was almost magic
Booster Recovery Failure
SpaceX's attempt to capture the Super Heavy booster was unsuccessful. The lower stage recovery was aborted, and the booster exploded over the Gulf of Mexico shortly after launch. According to SpaceX's Kate Tice, the engines stopped firing prematurely, causing the guidance system to initiate self-destruction.
The company had successfully caught the Super Heavy Booster on three previous test flights. Engineers are currently investigating the cause of the malfunction, as developing a fully reusable rocket system remains essential to reducing spaceflight costs.
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