# SpaceX catches Starship for first time, drawing praise in Washington

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10 outlets covering · First listed: The Hill, Nov 14, 2026, 10:14 PM · Read it: <https://thehill.com/policy/technology/6221123-spacex-starship-historic-landing-lawmakers-react/>

SpaceX’s Starship aircraft successfully touched back down at a South Texas launch site Saturday afternoon — marking a historic milestone in the aerospace giant’s effort to build reusable rockets. The 170-foot-long spacecraft launched from Starbase, Texas, on Friday for its 15th flight, the Elon Musk-headed company wrote in a Saturday release. Once it got into orbit,…

## Who's covering it

In the order they published:

- 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 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, 3:32 PM: [SpaceX catches Starship at launch pad 22 hours after liftoff in a dramatic first](<https://tech.yahoo.com/science/articles/spacex-starship-returns-orbit-captured-213234648.html>) — Yahoo News (Digital news, United States, rated Lean left)
- 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.
- Nov 14, 2026, 3:44 PM: [Watch SpaceX successfully execute the first ‘chopstick’ catch of Starship](<https://www.theverge.com/science/1033930/spacex-chopstick-starship-catch>) — The Verge (Digital news, United States)
  After aborting a planned catch of Starship Flight 15's booster, SpaceX successfully captured Starship with its "Mechazilla" launch and catch tower for the first time. The company has performed 'chopstick' catches of its boosters before, but this is the first time the maneuver has successfully been executed on the Starship vehicle itself. SpaceX CEO Elon
- Nov 14, 2026, 5:08 PM: [SpaceX Starship historic landing](<https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxQNmY5V2Zob09CTmF0VXY2SFVudFphNExaT3JjQ25lTmJTNmdrTC1SSGhzUDBGaHh0TDNGQWxSakNualJDUUVFZjhpUzduSEc0a2tRWGc5Yk51Ynh3Vm1FTUtqUVpUcmR6WlhWTGJwelpYZjZQVmJpOVBVM3BXdDRmdjY3S3Y4SEtfSDQtNm0yb3VoQ3lPTElRZ1BOekxxODRhYU1nWkpiQmJqY0E?oc=5>) — CNN (TV network, United States, rated Lean left)
- Nov 14, 2026, 6:17 PM: [SpaceX Catches Starship Returning From Orbit for First Time](<https://thedefiant.io/frontier/technology/spacex-catches-starship-returning-from-orbit-for-first-time>) — The Defiant (Specialist)
  The upper-stage recovery brings SpaceX closer to reusing both parts of its launch system. Super Heavy, however, diverted to an offshore splashdown.
- Nov 14, 2026, 10:14 PM: [SpaceX catches Starship for first time, drawing praise in Washington](<https://thehill.com/policy/technology/6221123-spacex-starship-historic-landing-lawmakers-react/>) — The Hill (Newspaper, United States, rated Center)
  SpaceX’s Starship aircraft successfully touched back down at a South Texas launch site Saturday afternoon — marking a historic milestone in the aerospace giant’s effort to build reusable rockets. The 170-foot-long spacecraft launched from Starbase, Texas, on Friday for its 15th flight, the Elon Musk-headed company wrote in a Saturday release. Once it got into orbit,…