Historic moment for SpaceX: Starship rocket returns to launch tower after flight

On the morning of 13 October, SpaceX conducted a successful launch of its Starship rocket, completing its fifth test flight. In a major achievement, the Super Heavy rocket returned to the company's launch tower nearly seven minutes after launch.

Here's What We Know

This is the first time SpaceX has managed to catch a rocket booster, a significant step towards a fully reusable rocket system.

Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster! pic.twitter.com/6R5YatSVJX

- SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2024

Starship separated from the booster and continued into space, travelling halfway around the Earth before re-entering the atmosphere and crashing in the Indian Ocean. There were no humans aboard the rocket, and the company plans to conduct hundreds of similar missions before launching with a crew.

According to the company's website, SpaceX engineers spent years of preparation and months of testing to try to catch the launch vehicle, with technicians spending tens of thousands of hours building infrastructure to maximise the chances of success.

Source: SpaseX