SpaceX pulls off dramatic midair catch of Starship rocket after fiery plunge from orbit

Updated on: November 14, 2026 / 6:06 PM EST / CBS News

After a 22-hour stay in space, a SpaceX Starship rocket plunged back to Earth Saturday, enduring the blazing heat of reentry while homing in on its Texas Gulf Coast launch site, flipping vertical at the last moment and settling into the grasp of two huge mechanical arms on its launch gantry.

Throngs of SpaceX employees gathered nearby cheered and applauded as the rocket restarted three of its six methane-fueled Raptor engines to flip upright, rapidly slowing to a near hover as the robot arms moved in for a mechanical embrace, catching the rocket a moment before engine shutdown.

"This is so incredible to see!" said SpaceX commentator Jessie Anderson. "One of the most incredible and historic engineering feats of all time has just happened right in front of our eyes. Congratulations to our teammates at SpaceX, and to everyone who supported the Starship program."

It was the first such recovery of a Starship from orbit — previous test flights ended with planned ocean splashdowns — marking a major milestone in SpaceX's drive to develop the first fully reusable orbit-class rocket, a vehicle company founder Elon Musk says will…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/