Far from a RUD, the real-life Super Heavy booster catch performed nearly shot-for-shot the same as SpaceX's animation. The dramatic pairing emphasizes the literal and metaphorical leaps the launch vehicle has taken over the past few years as it approaches operational qualification, which can't come too soon for both SpaceX and NASA.

SpaceX has rolled the Super Heavy first stage of its Starship megarocket out to the launch pad to prep for the vehicle's sixth test flight, which is scheduled for Monday (Nov. 18).