SpaceX achieved a major milestone on Sunday as it successfully caught its first-stage booster rocket after a test flight. This achievement represents a significant step in SpaceX’s mission to develop a reusable spacecraft for Moon and Mars exploration.
The “Super Heavy” booster launched from Boca Chica, Texas, lifting the Starship second-stage rocket towards space. After reaching an altitude of approximately 70 km, the booster separated and initiated its return to the launch site—a particularly challenging maneuver.
To slow its descent, the booster reignited three of its 33 Raptor engines, guiding it back to the launch pad and towering catch arms over 120 meters tall. The 71-meter-tall booster then hooked itself into the tower’s arms using small bars beneath its grid fins, successfully securing itself. Elon Musk, SpaceX’s CEO, confirmed the catch on social media, while engineers watching the live stream celebrated the event.
This unique landing technique marks a breakthrough in SpaceX’s quest to create a fully reusable rocket capable of launching heavier payloads, transporting humans to the Moon, and eventually reaching Mars.
Meanwhile, Starship, the rocket’s second stage, soared to over 27,300 kph, reaching an altitude of 140 km before heading towards a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. As it re-entered the atmosphere, onboard cameras captured the intense, glowing heat shield facing Earth. The shield has been upgraded since June, when tile damage hindered re-entry.
Starship touched down off the coast of Australia and then toppled over, concluding the test with a fiery explosion. It remains unclear if this was a planned detonation. Musk stated the ship landed “precisely on target.”
Initially unveiled by Musk in 2017, Starship has experienced several explosions throughout its development but completed its first full flight in June. This latest test was approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration after regulatory delays.
