On Friday, November 13, SpaceX conducted the 15th test flight of its heavy-lift rocket, Starship. This impressive rocket, standing at 124 meters tall, successfully launched and deployed its second-stage spacecraft into the designated Earth orbit. Additionally, it managed to deploy all 26 of the new-generation Starlink satellites. However, the original plan to achieve a “dual tower capture” was thwarted during the first stage of the flight. The first-stage Super Heavy booster had to cancel its planned return to land for recovery and instead made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to various media reports, Starship lifted off from the Starbase launch pad in southern Texas at 4:47 PM Central Time. The mission utilized a combination of third-generation Super Heavy booster B22 and spacecraft S42.
Following an encouraging ascent that saw the rocket successfully pass through its maximum dynamic pressure point and complete thermal separation, the booster was scheduled to return to the launch pad approximately 6.5 minutes after launch. The plan involved using a mechanical arm, commonly referred to as “chopsticks,” to capture the booster for recovery. However, SpaceX’s live broadcast suggested that the booster experienced what they termed a “technical failure,” preventing it from making the return trip to the launch site. Instead, it exploded upon its controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
While the first-stage booster did not meet the expectations set for its recovery, the second-stage spacecraft, S42, performed reliably. It successfully ignited its orbit insertion engine and entered a low Earth orbit approximately 275 kilometers above the planet’s surface. The spacecraft was able to successfully release all 26 of the new Starlink V3 satellites, and ground teams established communication with each of these satellites.
Currently, spacecraft S42 remains in orbit with plans to re-enter the atmosphere approximately 22 hours after launch. The objective is to test the feasibility of the first-ever tower capture.
Even though the booster did not successfully return to the Texas launch pad, the overall mission can still be heralded as a significant milestone for SpaceX. If the second-stage spacecraft can complete its return and be successfully captured by the mechanical arm, it would represent a critical step towards achieving rapid reusability of the entire rocket system—paving the way for significantly lower launch costs.
SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space technology, and despite setbacks, the progress being made is promising for future missions. The company’s commitment to reusability and efficiency is evident, and each test flight enhances their understanding and capability, bringing them closer to revolutionizing space travel.