SpaceX's Starship soars into orbit after double catch thwarted by booster's water landing

SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit during a test flight from Starbase, Texas, on Friday, despite the failure of its planned booster recovery. The first-stage booster was diverted offshore and fell into the Gulf of Mexico in flames, while the spacecraft continued its flight and deployed 26 Starlink satellites. Starship is scheduled to attempt a return to the launch pad from orbit on Saturday, where mechanical arms would catch it if the maneuver succeeds.