SpaceX has had a busy and memorable year, conducting more Falcon 9 missions than ever and making tangible progress with the development of its next-generations Starship vehicle, the most powerful rocket ever to fly.The most notable of the Starship test missions came on October 13 when SpaceXs launch tower caught the returning Super Heavy booster at the very first attempt.Recommended VideosThe spectacular feat involved the 70-meter-tall booster returning with pinpoint accuracy two giant mechanical arms on the launch tower, which secured the booster above the ground at SpaceXs Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.Please enable Javascript to view this contentReturning the booster in this way allows SpaceX to reuse the booster for multiple flights similar to what it does with its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, drastically reducing missions costs.RelatedBelow, weve pulled together various video clips showing the Super Heavy boosters extraordinary homecoming on October 13. The first one shows both the launch and landing of the Starship, which comprises the first-stage Super Heavy booster and upper-stage Starship spacecraft:Launch and return are fundamental techniques for Starships fully and rapidly reusable design pic.twitter.com/vrTdGkB08s SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2024This video is an onboard view showing a close-up of how the rocket came to rest on one of the so-called chopstick arms just minutes after deploying the Starship spacecraft to orbit:Onboard view showing a catch fitting on Super Heavy as it contacts a chopstick catch beam pic.twitter.com/r1TVQEdITc SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 14, 2024In a message attached to the next clip, SpaceX said: Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria had to be met prior to catching the Super Heavy booster. Thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers, we succeeded with catch on our first attempt.Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria had to be met prior to catching the Super Heavy booster. Thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers, we succeeded with catch on our first attempt. pic.twitter.com/6wa5v6xHI0 SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2024Heres a view from a camera attached to the launch tower, again showing in great detail how the Super Heavy rocket came in to land:The final phase of Super Heavy's landing burn used the three center Raptor engines to precisely steer into catch position pic.twitter.com/BxQbOmT4yk SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 14, 2024Next, we have a beautiful wide shot over southern Texas, looking toward the Gulf of Mexico, with the Super Heavy using its Raptor rocket engines to slow itself before coming to rest on the tower:Super Heavy landing burn and catch pic.twitter.com/wppBezuOet SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 14, 2024Another view from the tower shows more clearly the two arms moving together as the rocket returns:Tower view of the first Super Heavy booster catch pic.twitter.com/Bgjeyuw7Hf SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 14, 2024The video below shows the rockets speed and altitude data as it comes in to land:Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster! pic.twitter.com/6R5YatSVJX SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2024This clip shows a SpaceX render (apparently created before the fifth test flight though released afterwards) that closely imagined how the actual landing (right) would appear:Making a rapidly reusable future a reality pic.twitter.com/CM3cb24bw9 SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 17, 2024Finally, enjoy this video showing the rockets return and landing, together with commentary from the SpaceX team and the reaction of those watching:Starship | Fifth Flight TestSpaceX conducted a sixth test flight on November 19, but a communications issue between the launch tower and the returning Super Heavy forced mission controllers to send the booster into the Gulf of Mexico instead of attempting a second catch.SpaceX will try to repeat its extraordinary landing feat on its seventh test flight, which is expected to take place in early January.Editors Recommendations