Watch LIVE: SpaceX to launch and catch both Starship and Super Heavy rocket

SpaceX will attempt to catch both Super Heavy and Starship during Flight 15. Success would demonstrate the first full recovery of an orbital launch system.

In Short

• Launch window opens at 4:15 am IST on November 14
• The mission awaits a launch licence from US aviation regulators
• Ship will circle Earth about 14 times across 22 hours

SpaceX is preparing for one of its most ambitious rocket tests yet, with its giant Starship vehicle set to take off on November 13 in a mission that could make spaceflight history.

The company will attempt something never achieved before: catching both stages of the rocket, including the spacecraft returning from orbit, using the mechanical arms of its launch tower.

The mission, designated Starship Flight 15, is scheduled to lift off from SpaceX's Starbase facility in South Texas. The launch window opens at 4:15 am IST on November 14.

WATCH SPACEX STARSHIP SUPER HEAVY LAUNCH LIVE

However, the launch remains subject to regulatory clearance, with the US Federal Aviation Administration yet to issue the required licence as of Friday morning in the United States.

Starship consists of two major components: the Super Heavy booster, which powers the vehicle off the launch pad, and the upper-stage spacecraft, also called Ship. Both are designed to be fully reusable, allowing SpaceX to significantly reduce launch costs and increase the frequency of missions.

A HISTORIC DOUBLE-CATCH ATTEMPT

The mission's biggest challenge will be recovering both components at the launch site.

SpaceX has previously demonstrated its ability to catch the Super Heavy booster using two giant mechanical arms, nicknamed chopsticks, mounted on its launch tower. However, it has never attempted to catch the Starship upper stage after an orbital flight.

If successful, Flight 15 would mark the first full recovery of an orbital launch system, a major milestone in reusable rocket technology.

According to the flight plan, Super Heavy will return to the launch tower approximately six-and-a-half minutes after liftoff. The upper-stage Ship, meanwhile, will continue into low Earth orbit, travelling at an altitude of around 275 kilometres and completing approximately 14 revolutions around Earth over more than 22 hours.

The spacecraft is expected to attempt its return and catch on November 14, roughly 22.5 hours after launch.

STARSHIP TO DEPLOY 26 STARLINK SATELLITES

Flight 15 will also carry an operational payload. During its orbital journey, Starship is expected to deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, adding capacity to SpaceX's growing satellite internet constellation.

The previous Starship Flight 14, conducted on September 28, successfully reached orbit and deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites. However, the upper stage eventually splashed down in the Pacific Ocean rather than returning to the launch site.

SpaceX will not necessarily proceed with the spacecraft catch if it detects any technical problems during the mission. In such a situation, the vehicle can be directed towards a controlled splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

WHY IS THE DOUBLE CATCH IMPORTANT?

SpaceX's long-term ambition is to make Starship a rapidly reusable launch system. Recovering both stages at the launch site would significantly reduce the time and resources required to refurbish rockets between missions.

The technology is also central to Elon Musk's ambitions of expanding Starlink, deploying large satellite networks and eventually enabling human missions to Mars.

For now, Flight 15 represents a crucial test of whether an entire orbital-class rocket system can be launched, recovered and potentially flown again.

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