Elon Musk-led SpaceX has successfully accomplished the first-ever mid-air catch of its Starship spacecraft returning from orbit, using giant mechanical arms installed at its Starbase launch facility in Texas. The modern technology is developed for fully reusable rocket systems that could reduce space travel costs and make future missions more frequent.
The milestone was marked during Starship's 15th test flight, which involved an approximately 22-hour journey around Earth. The spacecraft completed 14 orbits and successfully deployed 26 satellites for SpaceX's Starlink internet constellation before beginning its return to Earth.
Mechazilla catches Starship! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on this incredible achievement! https://t.co/YJzmGUZb2B
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— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 14, 2026
After surviving the intense heat of atmospheric re-entry, the spacecraft descended towards the launch tower, where two massive mechanical arms, popularly known as 'chopsticks' or 'Mechazilla', initiated the procedure of catch catch above Launch Pad 2.
The whole operation was challenging as the rocket was returning from higher altitude and from significantly greater speed.
SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot described the achievement as a major breakthrough, while Musk congratulated the team and shared footage of the successful operation on social media.
Despite the milestone, the operation's objective of a dual recovery was only partially realized. Whereas the launch tower successfully captured the Starship vehicle, a propellant deficit prevented the Super Heavy booster from achieving its tower recovery, resulting in a diversion and a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
Celebrating the milestone, Musk congratulated his team and posted clips of the vessel secured in the tower's mechanical arms, remarking that it "looks great!"
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Echoing the excitement, aerospace expert Clayton Swope of the Center for Strategic and International Studies called the catch a "huge technical achievement" that proves Starship's fully reusable concept actually works.
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