SpaceX just pulled off a big one: on November 14, 2026, its Starship made it back to the Texas launch tower after orbiting Earth 14 times in just over 22 hours.
The upper stage landed smoothly into the tower's mechanical arms, marking a huge first for SpaceX and moving it closer to flying people on Starship.
SpaceX booster explodes after GNC no-go
This mission tried to recover both rocket stages, but the Super Heavy booster diverted a few minutes after takeoff and exploded in the Gulf of Mexico after the guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) system triggered the no-go.
Still, getting the upper stage back safely is a major win.
SpaceX now plans more frequent test flights as it gears up for NASA's 2028 lunar mission, and it's aiming for rockets that can be reused almost like airplanes.
All of this is part of Elon Musk's bigger dream: sending Starship (and maybe us) to Mars someday.