SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that the company will attempt to catch Starship and its booster for the first time next month. This could be the first time in history an orbital launch vehicle is fully recovered, marking a significant milestone in space technology. However, Musk cautioned that success is not guaranteed, noting that it’s more likely than not but not assured.

Starship, a two-stage rocket system, is designed to return to the launch site, where mechanical 'chopstick' arms are poised to catch it mid-air. The last launch sent the spacecraft into Earth orbit and some of SpaceX’s larger Starlink satellites. Despite a few hiccups, the booster landed in the Gulf of Mexico while the upper stage burned up in the Pacific Ocean. This attempt aims to change that.

Musk highlighted that the company has a steady stream of Starship flights planned for the coming year, suggesting that, even if this attempt fails, the team is well-prepared to keep trying. The recovery of the entire orbital launch system would have profound implications for space travel and satellite deployment, potentially reducing the cost and complexity of future launches.