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Watch SpaceX attempt a historic Starship launch and double-catch landing today (Nov. 13)

SpaceX plans to launch its Starship megarocket on an unprecedented mission today (Nov.

✦ Extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting•From 1 source•1 min read•Updated November 13, 2026, 5:05 AM UTC
Key points
  • Composite photo showing the Super Heavy booster of SpaceX's Starship megarocket coming in for a landing on the launch mount on Oct.
  • "If successful, this will mark the first full recovery of an orbital launch system and a breakthrough moment in making Starship a reliable, rapidly reusable rocket," the company wrote in a Flight 15 mission description.
  • (Image credit: SpaceX via X) Starship consists of two elements: a huge booster known as Super Heavy and an upper-stage spacecraft called Starship, or Ship for short.

Starship is scheduled to launch on its 15th test flight today from SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas, during a 75-minute window that opens at 5:45 p.m.

SpaceX plans to bring both of Starship's stages back to Starbase for a catch by the launch tower's "chopstick" arms — something it has never done before.

Additional details
  • The rapidity of Starship's reuse hinges heavily on SpaceX's recovery strategy: Returning both vehicles directly to the launch mount will enable much faster inspection, refurbishment and reflight, the company has said.
  • The mission plan calls for the upper stage to return to Starbase for its chopsticks catch on Saturday afternoon (Nov.
  • SpaceX has already caught Super Heavy, pulling the feat off on three previous Starship test flights.
  • SpaceX will call off a Ship catch if the vehicle experiences any issues during Flight 15.
  • Super Heavy will return to Starbase for a touchdown just 6.5 minutes after launch, but Ship will continue on to low Earth orbit.

How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →

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Space.comNovember 13, 2026, 5:05 AM UTC →

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