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SpaceX pulls off unprecedented feat, grabs descending rocket with mechanical arms

CBS News
Summary
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76% Informative

SpaceX's Super Heavy-Starship rocket is the largest, most powerful rocket in the world.

The 397-foot -tall rocket blasted off from Boca Chica , Texas , at 8:25 a.m. EDT on Sunday .

The rocket's first stage landed safely at the launch pad, then used giant "mechazilla" mechanical arms on the pad gantry to pluck the first stage out of the sky.

The Starship upper stage, meanwhile, looped around the planet and re-entered the atmosphere as planned.

SpaceX is under contract with NASA to supply a modified Starship to carry astronauts to landings near the moon 's south pole.

SpaceX engineers "spent years preparing and months testing for the booster catch attempt," company says.

Multiple flights will be needed to perfect the system and demonstrate the reliability required.

VR Score

79

Informative language

79

Neutral language

22

Article tone

formal

Language

English

Language complexity

59

Offensive language

not offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

not detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

short-lived

Source diversity

1

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