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‘Almost magic’ as SpaceX craft caught mid-air: Why it matters
SpaceX’s Starship upper stage was caught by the mechanical arms of its launch tower in Texas after returning from orbit, marking the first successful mid-air capture of a spacecraft’s upper stage. The achievement matters because it could help make very large rockets fully reusable, potentially lowering the cost and complexity of future space missions.
Starship spent 22.5 hours in space, orbiting Earth 14 times, before descending through clouds and aligning vertically with the tower’s arms. NASA welcomed the milestone because it is funding Starship’s role in returning astronauts to the Moon later this decade; SpaceX said the vehicle and its heat shield appeared to be in good condition. SpaceX had previously caught rocket boosters, but not the main spacecraft.
In short
- SpaceX caught Starship’s upper stage in mid-air for the first time.
- The spacecraft orbited Earth 14 times over 22.5 hours.
- The milestone could advance reusable rockets and future Moon missions.
Explained simply
SpaceX is a US company developing Starship, a large rocket system designed to carry people and cargo into space. It has two parts: a booster that lifts off from Earth and an upper stage that continues the journey. SpaceX has previously caught returning boosters with the arms of its launch tower.
Most rockets are discarded after use, while reusable parts can be refurbished and flown again. Reusing Starship’s upper stage could reduce the cost and effort of launching future missions, though the vehicle would still need inspection and maintenance. NASA is funding Starship’s development for a planned role in taking astronauts to the Moon later this decade.