SpaceX’s Starship had its fifth test launch in 18 months on Sunday morning and successfully caught a component of the rocket with mechanical arms near where it was launched in Texas, multiple outlets reported, marking a major milestone for Elon Musk’s aerospace company.

Elon 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.

SpaceX has successfully launched and landed Starship, the spacecraft it hopes will allow it to carry humanity throughout the solar system. In an astonishing success, SpaceX used mechanical arms it refers to as “chopsticks” to catch its booster on the launchpad with the hope of reusing it.