SpaceX plans first Starship double catch on Flight 15
SpaceX plans to launch Starship Flight 15 from Starbase, Texas, on November 13, attempting to catch both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage at the launch tower. The 75-minute launch window is scheduled to open at 4:45 p.m. local time, subject to regulatory approval; SpaceX says controllers will attempt the catches only if conditions are safe.
Bottom line — Flight 15 will test whether Starship’s upper stage can return from orbit for a tower catch.
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SpaceX says the booster will return shortly after liftoff, while the spacecraft is planned to spend about 21 hours in orbit before its return.
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Space.com reports that the mission is expected to deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites.
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The upper-stage catch would be a first: SpaceX has caught Super Heavy boosters before, but no Starship upper stage has been caught at a launch tower.
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SpaceX says the spacecraft’s return route is designed to pass over sparsely populated areas; contingency ocean landing options are also planned.
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Yahoo Tech notes that a successful catch would test recovery infrastructure, but would not by itself demonstrate routine reuse or rapid turnaround.