Watch: SpaceX catches Starship rocket booster mid-air in fifth flight test

SpaceX in its fifth Starship test flight on Sunday returned the rocket's towering first-stage booster back to its Texas launch pad for the first time using giant mechanical arms, achieving another novel engineering feat in the company's push to build a reusable moon and Mars vehicle.

The rocket's first stage "Super Heavy" booster lifted off at 7.25 am (local time) from SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas launch facilities, sending the Starship second stage rocket toward space before separating at an altitude of roughly 70 km (40 miles) to begin its return to land - the most daring part of the test flight.