SpaceX’s Starship Returns From Orbit and Is Captured by Launch Pad Arms in a Dramatic First
It was the grand finale that Elon Musk and his team hoped for — the first-ever capture of a Starship flying back from space
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Nov. 14, 2026 (AP) — SpaceX’s Starship made a triumphant return to Earth on Saturday, caught in midair by giant mechanical arms where its journey began 22 hours earlier.
It was the grand finale that Elon Musk and his team hoped for — the first-ever capture of a Starship flying back from space. But with the first-stage booster exploding shortly after Friday’s liftoff from Texas, the company fell short of its desired double catch, still the goal for accelerating moon and Mars travel.
