# SpaceX catches upper stage of Starship rocket in historic first

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8 outlets covering · First listed: CNBC, Nov 14, 2026, 3:14 PM · Read it: <https://www.cnbc.com/2026/11/14/spacex-plans-to-try-first-ever-catch-of-starship-rocket-from-orbit.html>

Starship Test Flight 15 marked the first time Elon Musk's company tried to catch both the booster and upper stage of the rocket.

## Who's covering it

In the order they published:

- Nov 13, 2026, 12:45 PM: [Can SpaceX catch its Starship?](<https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-spacex-catch-its-starship/>) — Scientific American (Magazine, United States)
  The 15th spaceflight of SpaceX’s giant launch vehicle aimed for something unprecedented: snatching both rocket stages from midair after a journey to orbit. The test proved partially successful, but ended in a historic first.
- Nov 13, 2026, 2:12 PM: [SpaceX successfully catches top of huge Starship rocket for first time](<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckregdgnl0xpo>) — BBC (Public broadcaster, United Kingdom, rated Center)
  The rocket stage was caught mid air using huge mechanical arms nicknamed “chopsticks”.
- Nov 13, 2026, 5:43 PM: [SpaceX catches returning Starship rocket in breakthrough for Musk](<https://www.ft.com/content/ce7c8ab1-8337-4c32-8494-5142ec1697dd?syn-25a6b1a6=1>) — Financial Times (Newspaper, United Kingdom, rated Center)
  Successful landing of upper stage is key to founder’s aim of sending reusable manned rockets to Mars
- Nov 14, 2026, 3:09 AM: [Setback for SpaceX Starship rocket's double-catch test](<https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckregdgnl0xpo?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D>) — Yahoo News (Digital news, United States, rated Lean left)
  The Starship rocket launched successfully on Friday \[Getty Images\] SpaceX will decide later whether to try to catch the top part of its huge Starship rocket as it returns to Earth.The company had hoped to catch both the bottom and upper stages of the rocket using mechanical arms - nicknamed chopsticks - on its launch tower.But the first catch of the rocket's booster was aborted a few minutes after the launch, and instead the booster diverted to the ocean, bursting into flames just above the sea.The top part, known as the Ship, is due to return to Earth at about 15:15 local time (21:15 GMT) on…
- Nov 14, 2026, 2:54 PM: [SpaceX successfully catches Starship after launch for the first time](<https://www.engadget.com/2316926/watch-spacex-attempt-to-catch-the-starship-upper-stage-for-the-first-time/>) — Engadget (Digital news, United States)
  While the company has pulled off this trick a few times with Super Heavy boosters, it was a first for the Ship.
- Nov 14, 2026, 3:14 PM: [SpaceX catches upper stage of Starship rocket in historic first](<https://www.cnbc.com/2026/11/14/spacex-plans-to-try-first-ever-catch-of-starship-rocket-from-orbit.html>) — CNBC (Business & finance, United States, rated Center)
  Starship Test Flight 15 marked the first time Elon Musk's company tried to catch both the booster and upper stage of the rocket.
- Nov 14, 2026, 3:22 PM: [SpaceX Catches the Starship to end Flight 15](<https://x.com/i/broadcasts/2brajgZlOKRMka>) — Hacker News (Aggregator, United States)
- Nov 14, 2026, 3:42 PM: [SpaceX successfully catches Starship and makes history](<https://www.npr.org/2026/11/14/g-s1-153786/spacex-successfully-catches-starship-and-makes-history>) — NPR (Public broadcaster, United States, rated Lean left)
  The company's spacecraft returned to its Texas launchpad in dramatic fashion — by carefully lowering itself until two metal arms attached to the launch tower could secure it.