SpaceX's giant Starship aims for historic first round trip after booster explodes.

SpaceX launched its 15th Starship test flight on a mission to achieve the first full round trip to orbit and back to its Texas launch site, a major milestone for creating a fully reusable rocket. The uncrewed upper stage reached orbit and is expected to attempt a pioneering catch-landing using giant mechanical arms on Saturday, following nearly a day in space.

The Super Heavy booster, however, experienced a failure, diverting from its return path and exploding over the Gulf of Mexico shortly after separation. This launch represents a critical high-stakes test for Elon Musk's vision of drastically reducing spaceflight costs through reusability, while also serving as a revenue mission by deploying Starlink satellites. The success of the upper stage's return would mark a significant breakthrough in rocket technology.