Latest from Space.com: SpaceX Targets Double-Catch on Starship Flight 15
Latest from Space.com reports SpaceX is aiming to catch both Starship stages with tower arms on Flight 15.
TL;DR
- Latest from Space.com reports SpaceX targets Nov. 13 for Starship Flight 15.
- Latest from Space.com reports the plan is to catch both Super Heavy and Ship with the tower arms.
- Latest from Space.com reports Ship would deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites and stay aloft over 22 hours if successful.
Latest from Space.com reports that SpaceX has set its sights on Friday, Nov. 13, for the 15th Starship test flight. The plan, according to the outlet, involves trying to catch both the Super Heavy booster and the upper-stage Ship back at the launch tower in South Texas.
The company shared a mission description over the weekend that lays out the ambitious goal. Latest from Space.com notes this would be the first attempt to recover both parts of the rocket at the launch site using the tower’s mechanical arms. If it works, the outlet says it could mark the first full recovery of an orbital launch system.
Latest from Space.com reports that Super Heavy has been caught three times before, but Ship has never tried the maneuver. Latest from Space.com points out that Ship flies higher and returns with more speed, making the catch trickier. The flight window opens at 5:45 p.m. EST, with the booster expected back around 6.5 minutes after liftoff, according to Latest from Space.com.
Latest from Space.com reports that Ship is slated to reach orbit, deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites, and stay up for more than 22 hours across about 14 orbits at roughly 275 km altitude. Latest from Space.com adds that SpaceX can switch to a safer suborbital path or ocean splashdown if anything looks off during the return.
The Tea
This reported double-catch push shows how fast SpaceX is iterating on full reusability. One successful flight like this could speed up the path to cheaper, quicker launches, but only if the hardware actually sticks the landing.