SpaceX catches Starship returning from orbit for the first time, booster is lost
机器之心 · wechat · 2026-11-15
On Starship's 15th test flight, the upper stage became the first orbital Starship ever recovered: after 22+ hours in space and 14 orbits, it re-entered the atmosphere and was caught by the launch tower's mechanical arms. However, the planned dual recovery failed — the Super Heavy booster crashed into the Gulf of Mexico due to prematurely shutting-down engines and insufficient propellant reserve.
Key challenges include thousands of heat shield tiles surviving orbital-speed re-entry (SpaceX deployed Starlink V3 satellites with cameras to inspect the shield) and the belly-flop maneuver followed by a flip and precise landing. Full reusability still requires proving re-flight of recovered ships, tile durability, and on-orbit propellant transfer for Moon and Mars missions.
Related event: SpaceX Catches Orbital Starship With Mechazilla Arms After 22-Hour Flight(18 posts)→
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