Updated

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced on October 20, 2026, that the company will attempt to catch both Starship and its booster during a launch next month, with the goal of recovering the entire orbital launch system for the first time in history. During the company's third quarter earnings report, Musk called the potential achievement a profound technology milestone, though he acknowledged the attempt could fail. Successful recovery of both the booster and orbital vehicle would mark an unprecedented accomplishment in spaceflight, fundamentally advancing reusability and reducing launch costs by enabling the capture of both components rather than their traditional splashdown recovery. The attempted catch represents a critical test of SpaceX's vision for rapid, low-cost space access through full rocket reusability, building on previous successful booster catch tests.