What we know

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that the company will attempt to catch both the Starship spacecraft and its booster during an upcoming launch. This effort aims to recover the entire orbital launch system for the first time, marking a new milestone in SpaceX’s development of its fully reusable launch vehicle. SpaceX plans to catch both Starship and its Super Heavy booster in a single launch attempt. This would be the first time the entire Starship system is recovered intact.

Why it matters

Catching both the booster and spacecraft could significantly advance SpaceX’s goal of rapid reusability, potentially lowering the cost and turnaround time for orbital launches. Previous tests have focused on landing each component separately, so this combined recovery attempt represents a critical step toward more efficient spaceflight operations.

What is still unknown

The exact date of the launch attempt has not been specified. Details about the technical methods for catching the booster and Starship, the likelihood of success, and any potential risks remain unclear. No independent verification of the feasibility or safety of this approach is available.