The successful recovery of the SpaceX Starship marks the first recovery of a spaceship. The initial attempt failed and was called off, with the booster redirected toward the ocean, where it erupted into flames just above the water's surface. WASHINGTON, United States — Elon Musk’s SpaceX on Saturday successfully carried out the first-ever recovery of a spaceship, with its Starship vessel returning safely to its launch pad after a day.