SpaceX launched the Starship spacecraft today on a 22-hour flight aimed at capturing the full rocket, including the thruster, but the first part of the unprecedented double capture failed.
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13/11/2026
by
Lusa
A SpaceX launched the spacecraft today Starship on a 22-hour flight aimed at capturing the full rocket, including the thruster, but the first part of the unprecedented double capture failed.
The first-stage thruster failed and instead of returning to base in Texas a few minutes after take-off, it ended up falling into the Gulf of Mexico after an automatic abort procedure.
Despite the setback, the ship — in its shape that reminds of a projectile — moved into orbit.
On Saturday, you should return to the base for a similar capture attempt if no new problems arise.
This is the first time the probe will attempt to return from orbit to launch base, to be captured in the air by mechanical arms attached to the launch tower.
The initial goal was to recover all parts of the rocket for future recycling purposes — a feat still unheard of anywhere in the world.
SpaceX's owner, Elon Musk, believes that this will allow the speedy and consistent launch frequency necessary for the construction of lunar bases and the sending of humans to Mars.
Once in orbit, Starship will take 26 of the company's most advanced Starlink satellites.
The plan is for the Starship to complete 15 laps to Earth at an altitude of approximately 275 kilometers (170 miles) before returning to the launch site on Saturday.
SpaceX had already taken three thrusters at its Starbase facility near the U.S.-Mexico border.
This was the first attempt to capture the improved version, which measures 72 meters high — the production model for expeditions to the Moon and Mars.
It was also the first time the company attempted to capture the spacecraft itself, which is 52 meters long. Together, they form the largest and most powerful rocket in the world, 124 meters high.