SpaceX returned a starship to the launch tower for the first time, grabbing it off the ground with mechanical "arms."
SpaceX returned a starship for the first time in history - after a flight in orbit, it was caught above the ground by mechanical arms at the Maczilla launch tower in South Texas.
The Starship spacecraft was launched from the SpaceX base in Texas on November 13. He launched 26 Starlink satellites into orbit and spent 22 hours there, making 14 orbits around the Earth. It then began its descent to the launch site in Texas, where it was captured above ground by mechanical manipulators.
At the same time, SpaceX this time abandoned its attempt to catch the super heavy accelerator. Its engines shut down too early on the way back, and the guidance system automatically directed the booster toward the water and began self-destruction, SpaceX explained. It exploded over the Gulf of Mexico.
Video: SpaceX.