LIVE: SpaceX Starship test flight 15 launch

SpaceX launched Starship toward orbit Friday in its boldest test yet: a 22-hour flight that aimed to capture the entire rocket.

But Elon Musk’s company had to lower its expectations when the first part of the double catch flopped.

The first-stage booster malfunctioned and instead of returning to its Texas pad several minutes after liftoff, it ended up in the Gulf of Mexico after an automatic abort. Despite the setback, the bullet-shaped spacecraft continued toward orbit. It will steer toward the pad Saturday for a similar grab, barring further trouble.

Credit: SpaceX

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