Updated

SpaceX will attempt to catch both stages of its Starship rocket on its next test flight, a first for the programme, the BBC World reported. The catch attempts would use mechanical arms nicknamed chopsticks on the launch tower, with the first booster catch planned about six and a half minutes after liftoff from Starbase in Texas, and the upper Ship stage caught about 22 and a half hours later. A successful full recovery would pave the way for a reusable Starship, which Nasa is watching closely because the rocket is central to its Artemis Moon programme. The 124-metre rocket is scheduled to launch on Friday at 1645 local time (2245 GMT) within a 75-minute window. The Ship would deploy 26 Starlink satellites and complete 14 orbits before returning. Until now the booster has been caught on three earlier flights, while the Ship has only been splashed down in the ocean. SpaceX said it would decide whether to try catching the Ship only after assessing it in space, and the Ship could be brought down in the ocean at several points if problems arise.