Starship returns to Texas launch tower after 22‑hour orbital flight

The Guardian reported that SpaceX’s Starship landed back on its Texas launch tower on Saturday, marking a milestone in the company’s push to make the vehicle suitable for human spaceflight. Although the rocket’s booster exploded, the 171‑ft (52‑meter) bullet‑shaped upper stage was caught by the tower’s mechanical arms after a 22‑hour mission that saw it circle Earth 14 times. The successful capture of the upper stage is the first time the company has retrieved it during a flight, a step toward reusing the megarocket’s components.

The event demonstrates progress in SpaceX’s effort to develop a fully reusable launch system.

Why it matters

Recovering the upper stage shows a key advance toward making the Starship reusable for crewed missions.

Key details

Location

United States · Americas

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

15 Nov 2026, 04:05 IST

Key names

SpaceX’s Starship, Texas, Earth, SpaceX

Section

Science

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The GuardianSpaceX’s Starship returns to launch pad from orbit in victory for company 15 Nov, 04:05

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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