SpaceX’s 15th Starship test flight has marked another important step in the company’s reusable rocket programme, although its attempt to recover the Super Heavy booster ended unsuccessfully. The massive rocket successfully lifted off from Texas on November 13, 2026, and reached low Earth orbit. However, a technical problem forced SpaceX to abandon its planned attempt to catch the booster using the giant mechanical arms of its launch tower.
The mission, known as Starship Flight 15, was designed to demonstrate the recovery of both stages of the world’s largest rocket system. While the upper stage continued its journey towards orbit, the Super Heavy booster could not complete its planned return to the launch site.
The rocket took off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas at approximately 5.47 pm Eastern Time on Friday. Powered by 33 Raptor engines, the Super Heavy booster generated more than 18 million pounds of thrust, carrying the Starship spacecraft towards space.
The initial stages of the launch went according to plan. The rocket cleared the launch tower, passed through the phase of maximum aerodynamic pressure and completed stage separation. Around two-and-a-half minutes after liftoff, the Super Heavy booster shut down its main engines, allowing the Starship upper stage to separate and continue its flight.
The biggest disappointment came during the booster’s recovery operation. SpaceX had planned to guide the Super Heavy back towards the launch tower, where two giant mechanical arms, popularly known as ‘Chopsticks’, would catch it in mid-air.
However, a malfunction triggered an automatic abort of the planned return-to-launch-site manoeuvre. Instead of attempting the tower catch, the booster was redirected towards the Gulf of Mexico, where it subsequently exploded above the water.
The incident marked a setback for SpaceX’s efforts to recover its upgraded Version 3 Super Heavy booster. Flight 15 was the first attempt to catch this larger booster using the launch tower’s mechanical arms. SpaceX had previously demonstrated successful catches involving earlier versions of the Super Heavy.
Despite the recovery problem, the Starship upper stage continued its mission. Approximately 26 minutes after liftoff, the spacecraft completed its orbital insertion manoeuvre and reached low Earth orbit at an altitude of around 275 kilometres.
The spacecraft was carrying 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, which were scheduled for deployment during the mission. These satellites are expected to significantly expand the capacity of SpaceX’s satellite internet network.
Each Starlink V3 satellite can contribute approximately one terabit of data capacity. The batch is expected to provide capacity comparable to around 10 launches of Starlink V2 Mini satellites using the company’s Falcon 9 rockets.
The mission also included three satellites equipped with cameras to capture images of Starship’s heat shield. These observations are intended to help engineers understand how the thermal protection system performs and whether it can withstand the extreme temperatures experienced during atmospheric re-entry.
Another important objective was to bring the Starship upper stage back to Earth. SpaceX planned an approximately 22-hour mission, with the spacecraft expected to complete around 14 orbits before attempting a return to Starbase on November 14.
If successful, the operation would mark the first recovery of an orbital-class spacecraft using the launch tower’s mechanical arms. However, the spacecraft’s return depends on several technical checks, including the condition of its heat shield and flight systems. An ocean splashdown remains an alternative if the vehicle is not cleared for a tower recovery.
Starship is central to Elon Musk’s ambition of making space travel more affordable through fully reusable rockets. The system consists of the Super Heavy first-stage booster and the Starship spacecraft, designed to work together for missions to Earth orbit, the Moon and eventually Mars.
The rocket is also important for NASA’s Artemis programme, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon. NASA has selected Starship as a lunar landing system and committed approximately $3.2 billion towards its development.
SpaceX hopes to use the vehicle for future lunar missions, Mars exploration and the expansion of its Starlink satellite network. However, several technical challenges remain, including demonstrating reliable recovery, rapid reusability and orbital refuelling.
Flight 15 has demonstrated Starship’s ability to reach orbit and carry a substantial satellite payload. However, the failed Super Heavy recovery attempt highlights the engineering challenges involved in making the entire rocket system reusable. For SpaceX, the mission represents progress, but also shows that achieving routine, fully reusable spaceflight will require further testing.