SpaceX targets first full recovery of Starship on Flight 15

SpaceX is scheduled to launch the Starship megarocket on Flight 15 from its Starbase facility in South Texas on Nov. 13. The mission includes an attempt to recover both the Super Heavy booster and the Ship upper stage using the launch pad’s mechanical arms, a capability the company describes as a "breakthrough moment in making Starship a reliable, rapidly reusable rocket."

The 75-minute launch window opens at 5:45 p.m. EST. About 6.5 minutes after liftoff, the next-generation Super Heavy "V3" booster will attempt its first catch by the tower’s “chopstick” arms. If the Ship upper stage receives clearance for orbital insertion, it will deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites into low-Earth orbit roughly 35 minutes after launch. After a 21-hour orbit, the vehicle is slated to re-enter over sparsely populated areas of northern Mexico and southern Texas, perform a belly-flop maneuver, and descend toward Pad 2 for a vertical capture.

"SpaceX will attempt to catch both the Super Heavy booster and Starship on the upcoming flight. If both are successful, it will mark the first time that all parts of an orbital rocket return to Earth intact," Elon Musk said on X on Nov. 6.

A successful catch would allow SpaceX to begin refurbishing the Ship for re-flight, advancing its goal of rapid turnaround. The company has previously recovered three Super Heavy boosters and reused two. Musk has said the firm aims to conduct more than 10,000 Starship launches per year by 2030, roughly one launch per hour, to support large satellite constellations such as the V3 Starlink network.

Regulatory filings indicate SpaceX expects to conduct 10,000 launches annually, while the National Space Transportation Policy targets over 1,000 U.S. launches per year by 2030. The company’s planned Starbase site in Louisiana is intended to support the high launch cadence, though it is not expected to become operational before 2029.

SpaceX will only attempt the Ship catch if the vehicle passes safety checks after reaching orbit. If conditions are not met, the upper stage may be directed to splash down in the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.