SpaceX Starship prepares attempt at pinpoint return landing on Earth

SpaceX's next-generation Starship spacecraft cruised around the globe on Saturday nearing the end of its 15th test flight and what the company hoped would be an unprecedented pinpoint return landing at the exact spot in Texas from which it launched.



Starship's uncrewed upper stage is poised to re-enter Earth's atmosphere after nearly a day in orbit and steer back toward its launch tower, then make an engine-controlled final descent into the embrace of giant mechanical arms designed to catch the vehicle as it hovers over the launchpad.



If successful, it will mark the first round-trip voyage of a vertically launched spacecraft to orbit and back to the very spot where it left Earth, achieving a key test of Elon Musk's long-pursued goal of producing a fully reusable rocket system.