CAPE CANAVERAL, Nov. 15 -- SpaceX's Starship made a historic return from space on Saturday, caught in midair by mechanical arms at its Texas launch pad 22 hours after liftoff.

The 407-foot rocket completed 14 orbits at an altitude of 165 miles and deployed 26 Starlink satellites, marking Starship's first-ever midair capture following its second orbital flight and 15th full-scale test.

However, SpaceX missed a double catch as the first-stage booster exploded over the Gulf of Mexico after its engines stopped prematurely during descent.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called it an "epic day," emphasizing the catch proves full reusability for rapid recycling. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman welcomed the milestone, as NASA relies on Starship for its...