SpaceX catches Starship with launch tower's chopstick arms for the first time

SpaceX successfully captured a Starship vehicle using its Mechazilla launch and catch tower, marking the first time this maneuver has been carried out on the Starship itself. The company had earlier aborted a planned catch of the Flight 15 booster before completing this capture. Previously, SpaceX had used the same chopstick technique only to recover its boosters. Elon Musk said on the third-quarter earnings call that success is not guaranteed on early flights but that the next attempt is more likely than not to succeed. The recovery was not a full success, as the company could not recover the entire launch vehicle.