Watch: Elon Musk's Starship makes historic launch pad returnElon Musk’s Starship rocket has completed a world first after part of it was captured on its return to the launch pad.
The SpaceX vehicle's lower half manoeuvred back beside its launch tower where it was caught in a giant pair of mechanical arms, as part of its fifth test flight.
It brings SpaceX’s ambition of developing a fully reusable and rapidly deployable rocket a big step closer.
"A day for the history books," engineers at SpaceX declared as the booster landed safely.
The chances of the bottom part of the rocket, known as the Super Heavy booster, being caught so cleanly on the first attempt seemed slim.
Prior to the launch, the SpaceX team said it would not be surprised if the booster was instead directed to land in the Gulf of Mexico.
