Full coverage
SpaceX caught Starship’s upper stage after its 15th test flight, while the booster failed to return.
Starship returned to its Texas launch site after a flight of about 22 hours and was caught by mechanical arms, the first such recovery from orbit. The booster’s planned catch was aborted, and it was diverted toward the Gulf of Mexico, where it exploded or was destroyed before reaching the water.
What the reports agree on
- SpaceX conducted Starship’s 15th test flight. France24, Guardian World
- Starship returned from orbit after a flight of about 22 hours and was caught by mechanical arms at the Texas launch site. PBS NewsHour, CBS News, Guardian World, Al Jazeera
- The upper-stage catch was the first time SpaceX had caught a Starship returning from orbit. PBS NewsHour, BBC World, CBS News, Guardian World and 1 more
- The planned booster catch was aborted, and the booster was diverted toward the Gulf of Mexico or ocean and exploded or was destroyed before reaching the water. France24, PBS NewsHour, BBC World, CBS News and 2 more
- Starship completed 14 orbits of Earth. France24, Guardian World, Al Jazeera
Where reports differ
- France24’s summaries give different launch dates: one says November 14, 2026, and the other says November 13, 2026. France24
- France24’s summaries differ on the satellite count: one says the spacecraft was expected to release 15 satellites, while the other says it deployed 26. France24
Reported by one outlet
- CBS News reported that Elon Musk attributed the booster problem to a slight underperformance of its engines. CBS News
- Al Jazeera reported that Starship reached an altitude of about 265 kilometers (165 miles). Al Jazeera
- PBS NewsHour reported that buoys marked off the area where booster wreckage remained in the Gulf of Mexico. PBS NewsHour
The original reports
- Al Jazeera SpaceX’s Starship captured by launchpad arms in dramatic first
- CBS News SpaceX pulls off first Starship recovery from orbit in spectacular fashion
- Guardian World SpaceX’s Starship returns to launch pad from orbit in victory for company
- BBC World 'Can you believe it?': SpaceX catches part of its Starship rocket on return to Earth
- PBS NewsHour SpaceX's Starship returns from orbit and is captured by launch pad arms in a dramatic first
- France24 SpaceX's Starship set for return to Earth after failed booster catch
- France24 SpaceX's Starship encounters problems during 15th test flight