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SpaceX caught Starship’s upper stage at its Texas launch site after a test flight, but the booster failed to return.
Starship completed a roughly 22-hour flight and returned to Earth, where mechanical arms caught its upper stage for the first time. The Super Heavy booster’s planned catch was aborted, and it was diverted toward the Gulf of Mexico, where it exploded or splashed down.
What the reports agree on
- Mechanical arms at the Texas launch site caught Starship’s upper stage, marking the first such recovery from orbit. PBS NewsHour, BBC World, CBS News, Guardian World
- The planned catch of the Super Heavy booster was aborted, and the booster was diverted away from the launch site toward the ocean or Gulf of Mexico. France24, PBS NewsHour, BBC World, CBS News and 1 more
Where reports differ
- Its summaries give different launch dates: November 14, 2026, in one account and November 13, 2026, in the other. France24
- One summary says Starship was expected to release 15 Starlink satellites; another says it deployed 26. France24
- The booster’s failure is described variously as a guidance or position problem, an engine performance problem, or both. CBS News
Reported by one outlet
- CBS News reported that Elon Musk attributed the booster problem to slight engine underperformance. CBS News
- Guardian World reported that NASA contracted SpaceX and Blue Origin for its plan to return humans to the Moon in 2028. Guardian World
- France24 reported that SpaceX planned to decide about two hours before the scheduled return whether to attempt to catch Starship. France24
The original reports
- 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