SpaceX Starship Flight 15: Deorbit, reentry and historic tower catch

SpaceX caught Starship Ship 42 at its launch tower at Starbase, Texas, on Saturday, November 14, completing the final phase of Flight 15 after more than 22 hours in space. The ship began its return with a deorbit burn before entering Earth’s atmosphere, slowing from hypersonic speeds through transonic and subsonic flight. It then performed its landing flip and final landing burn before the tower’s mechanical arms caught the vehicle at approximately 4:20 p.m. ET. This marked the first successful tower catch of a Starship upper stage. The Super Heavy booster also had a scheduled catch on Flight 15, but it aborted the catch due to guidance and navigation issues, along with low fuel. The booster splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. Video Credit: SpaceX