The "'Starship'" spacecraft from SpaceX has managed this Saturday to successfully complete its first landing maneuver after completing a mission in orbit, a key step that paves the way for its future reuse on upcoming space flights.
As the company has detailed, the spacecraft was captured without incidents by the Mechazilla launch tower system. SpaceX celebrated the feat on social media with the message: "Mechazilla has caught the 'Starship'! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team for this incredible achievement!".
This is an unprecedented milestone in aerospace history: it is the first time that the upper stage of a rocket manages to return to Earth and land in a vertical position after completing a mission in orbit.
During its return trajectory, the rocket has overflown inhabited areas of Texas and Mexico before approaching the launch tower of the Starbase in Boca Chica, in Texas (United States). On its route it has also passed over South Padre Island, and the base is located less than eight kilometers from the area where the nearest public was concentrated.