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SpaceX to attempt first full Starship recovery on Flight 15 next month
Elon Musk announced on SpaceX's October 20 Q3 earnings call that Starship Flight 15, expected in November, will try to catch both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage with the launch tower — a first for an orbital-class rocket if it succeeds.
Why it matters
Elon Musk announced during SpaceX's official Q3 earnings call livestream on Tuesday, October 20, that Starship Flight 15, expected next month in November, will attempt to catch both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage with the launch tower's mechanical arms. Musk said that if successful, it would be the first time an orbital-class launch vehicle has been fully recovered; the call included a simulation animation.
Progress and plans
Starship Flight 14 (September 28) was Starship's first orbital flight and its first to generate revenue, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites. Musk expects Starship to reach one flight per week in the first half of 2027.
SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said the company has had "constructive communication" with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and expects the Flight 15 license to include "return to launch site plus two-stage tower recovery."
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