SpaceX to attempt catching both Starship stages for the first time
SpaceX will attempt to catch both stages of the Starship rocket system—the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft—for the first time in November 2026. Elon Musk announced this during the presentation of third-quarter financial results.
If successful, SpaceX will be the first in history to fully recover an orbital rocket system after flight.
Musk called the upcoming test a critical technological milestone but acknowledged that success is not guaranteed. He believes a favorable outcome is more likely than failure. If the attempt is unsuccessful, the company will continue test launches until the end of the year.
During the previous launch on September 28, Starship reached Earth's orbit for the first time and deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites. However, due to the premature shutdown of one of the Raptor engines, the planned 10-hour mission was shortened to approximately 3 hours.
