SpaceX Starship Super Heavy booster catches: Flights 5, 7 and 8 highlights

SpaceX has caught a Super Heavy booster with its launch tower three times: on Starship Flight 5 (October 13, 2024), Flight 7 (January 16, 2025), and Flight 8 (March 6, 2025). Each time the booster returned to Starbase, Texas, and the tower’s arms caught it about seven minutes after liftoff. Only Flight 5’s ship completed its planned flight, splashing down in the Indian Ocean, while the Flight 7 and Flight 8 ships were lost during ascent. SpaceX plans to try catching both the booster and the ship on Flight 15, expected in November, Elon Musk said on October 20. Video Credit: SpaceX