SpaceX's Starship soars into orbit after booster malfunction thwarts double catch attempt

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SpaceX's attempt to recover its entire Starship back at the launch pad was thwarted when the booster malfunctioned and ended up in the water Friday, but the spacecraft still soared into orbit in its boldest test yet.

Elon Musk's company had to lower its expectations when the first part of the double catch flopped.

Instead of returning to its Texas pad following liftoff, the first-stage booster ended up in the Gulf of Mexico after an automatic abort. Despite the setback, the bullet-shaped spacecraft continued toward orbit. It will steer toward the pad Saturday for a similar grab, barring further trouble.

The Super Heavy v3 Booster 22 explodes upon being diverted to the water while retuning from the launch of a Starship 42 during the 15th test flight from the SpaceX launch complex in Starbase, Texas, Nov. 13, 2026. Photo by Joe Skipper/Reuters

It's the first time that the spacecraft will try to return to the pad from orbit, to be plucked in midair by mechanical arms secured to the launch tower. If all goes well, the flight will last 22 hours.

The original goal was to retrieve every single piece of the rocket for the purpose of future recycling, something yet to be achieved anywhere in the world. Musk sees this leading to the kind of fast and consistent launch rates necessary for building moon bases and sending people to Mars.

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