SpaceX made history by successfully catching the upper stage of its Starship rocket from orbit using ‘chopsticks’ at its Starbase, Texas, facility. While the booster failed to be caught and exploded, the upper stage completed 14 orbits before its precise recovery, demonstrating a critical step towards fully reusable spaceflight.
This achievement is vital for expanding Starlink, supporting NASA’s lunar missions, and advancing Elon Musk’s long-term vision of colonizing Mars and making humanity multi-planetary. The test flight also deployed 26 new Starlink v3 satellites, further bolstering SpaceX’s satellite internet service.
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In a monumental leap for space exploration, SpaceX has successfully caught the upper stage of its colossal Starship rocket directly from orbit – a historic achievement that marks a significant milestone for Elon Musk's ambitious aerospace company.
This unprecedented feat occurred on Saturday, utilizing the custom-designed 'chopsticks' – a pair of massive mechanical arms integrated into the launch tower at SpaceX's Starbase facility in Texas. This innovative recovery method is central to making Starship a fully reusable spacecraft.
SpaceX Starship 42 returns from orbit to the launch pad on the 15th test flight from the SpaceX launch complex in Starbase, Texas, on Nov. 14, 2026. Photo: Joe Skipper | Reuters
The successful capture of the upper stage, or spacecraft portion, was part of Test Flight 15, which aimed to recover both the booster and the upper stage. While the booster unfortunately failed to be caught on Friday, leading to its controlled diversion and explosion offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, the upper stage continued its mission. It completed 14 orbits around Earth before making a precise return and being secured by the launch tower, affectionately dubbed 'Mechazilla'.
Following the triumphant capture, Elon Musk shared an update on X, featuring a video inspection of the upper stage craft, highlighting the success:
The ambitious Test Flight 15 also saw SpaceX deploy another 26 of its advanced Starlink v3 satellites into orbit, further expanding its global satellite internet constellation, which already boasts over 11,000 satellites. A single Starship rocket is designed to carry up to 60 Starlink v3 satellites, underscoring its pivotal role in the company's profit-generating service.
The full reusability of Starship is paramount to SpaceX's long-term objectives. Beyond Starlink, the spacecraft is critical for NASA's Artemis program, envisioned to transport astronauts and cargo between lunar orbit and the Moon's surface. Ultimately, Starship is the cornerstone of Musk's grand vision to establish human colonies on Mars and transform humanity into a multi-planetary species.
The flight did cause some temporary disruptions, including a flight pause issued by the Hawaii Department of Transportation due to potential debris risk, and a rare nationwide ground stop by the FAA attributed to telecommunications system failures. Both orders have since been lifted, allowing the focus to return to the astounding technological achievement.
