SpaceX catches part of its Starship rocket on return to Earth

SpaceX's Starship, during its most ambitious test yet, soared into orbit despite its booster exploding in the Gulf of Mexico shortly after liftoff. The first-stage booster, intended for a return to the Texas launch pad, was instead redirected to an offshore location. Unaffected by the booster mishap, the spacecraft continued its journey, planning to complete 15 orbits around Earth at about 170 miles (275 kilometers) before making its daring attempt to be caught by mechanical arms on the launch tower.

This would be the first time Starship attempted a mid-air retrieval, aiming to achieve a high rate of launches necessary for future lunar and Mars missions. SpaceX had previously successfully captured three boosters at their Starbase facility near the U.S.-Mexico border, making Friday's setback particularly surprising. The spacecraft will rendezvous with Saturday's planned recovery, barring any further issues.