SpaceX successfully captured the Starship 42 using an observation tower after the spacecraft completed 14 orbits around Earth.
For the first time in history, an orbit-class upper stage returned from space, survived a passage through the dense atmosphere, and was picked up by the massive mechanical arms of the launch tower.
However, the return of the super heavy booster during the 15th flight did not go as planned. Due to lack of fuel, the control system automatically canceled the return to the launch point and directed the booster to the landing zone over the Gulf of Mexico.
The reasons for the early termination of the braking maneuver are under investigation.