Elon Musk’s SpaceX carries out first-ever recovery of a spaceship with successful Starship catch
The initial attempt failed and was called off, with the booster redirected toward the ocean, where it erupted into flames just above the water's surface.
SpaceX made history on Saturday with the first-ever successful recovery of a spaceship, as reported by CNBC. The spacecraft, Starship's upper stage, known colloquially as the "Ship," was captured using mechanical arms nicknamed "chopsticks" mounted on SpaceX's Starbase facility in Texas. The catch was a pivotal moment for SpaceX's Starship program, which aims to transport astronauts and cargo to the Moon and Mars.
During Test Flight 15, the most ambitious trial yet, SpaceX attempted for the first time to recover both the rocket's booster and upper stage using the launchpad's mechanical arms. However, the booster exploded upon its return to Earth, exploding in flames before reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The upper stage, on the other hand, completed 14 orbits around the Earth before safely landing on SpaceX's tower, Mechazilla.
Beyond the technical achievement, SpaceX intends to use the Starship for NASA missions, potentially delivering humans and supplies to the Moon and eventually colonizing Mars, as envisioned by its CEO, Elon Musk.
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