SpaceX has successfully caught the upper stage of the Starship rocket in mid-air for the first time, as it returned from space, using the mechanical arms of the launch tower at Starbase, in Boca Chica, Texas. The company thus marked an important step in its strategy of fully reusing launch systems, a goal aimed at drastically reducing the costs of space transportation. Elon Musk celebrated the achievement.
The flight, which lasted approximately 22.5 hours, was the 15th test of the Starship program. The vehicle completed 14 orbits around the Earth before returning and deployed 26 Starlink satellites into orbit. Until now, the lower component of the rocket, known as Super Heavy, had been caught three times with the tower's arms, but this is the first time the upper stage has been recovered in the same way.
The attempt to also catch the Super Heavy booster was, however, interrupted a few minutes after launch, and the booster was sent into the ocean. Musk explained that the booster had too little propellant on board to allow a safe recovery. The incident shows that, although the capture system works, the process remains sensitive to the fuel margin left after flight.
Full reusability of rockets is considered essential for space transportation to become cheaper. Until now, most launches have involved abandoning or sinking costly components, and recovering them allows a significant reduction in costs for each mission. SpaceX intends to evaluate the ship in orbit before attempting to catch it again, which means the procedure is not yet considered routine.
The Starship program also has an important political and economic dimension. SpaceX holds a contract with NASA to use the vehicle as a lunar landing module, as part of the Artemis program. The company Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, also has a contract with NASA for a lunar module, which it plans to launch with the New Glenn rocket. However, this year a New Glenn rocket exploded, destroying a launch pad in Florida, and the company's return to operational flights has been postponed until early 2027.
The Artemis III mission, which is to take astronauts to the Moon, was targeted for the summer of 2027, but the schedule is considered likely to slip. NASA Administrator Isaacman said that the United States is competing with China to return to the Moon. China aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030, which means the progress of private companies and the American space agency is being closely watched across the entire industry.