SpaceX plans a two-stage Starship catch on one flight
Starship（STAR-ship）
SpaceX's large rocket with two main stages.
Super Heavy（SOO-per HEV-ee）
The lower part that pushes the rocket upward at launch.
Ship（ship）
The upper spacecraft that travels above the booster.
What happened
SpaceX, the company developing the rocket, announced a new recovery attempt on Oct. 20, 2026. During the next test flight of Starship, its very large rocket, the company will try to catch both rocket stages at the launch tower. Elon Musk, SpaceX's founder and chief executive, made the announcement during the company's third-quarter earnings call. The flight is targeted for next month. No exact launch date was given. This would be Flight 15.
The background
Starship is a very large, two-stage rocket. Super Heavy is the lower booster. Ship is the upper spacecraft. Both parts are designed for full and rapid reuse. After launch, each vehicle would steer back toward the tower. Mechanical arms on the tower would catch them. SpaceX calls these arms chopsticks.
This recovery method differs from Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy. Their boosters return to landing pads or ships at sea. Their upper stages are expendable. Starship aims to bring back both stages. When fully stacked, Starship stands more than 400 feet, or 122 meters, tall.
Why it matters
A successful double catch would be more than a dramatic landing. Musk said it would be the first full recovery of an orbital launch vehicle. The goal is to inspect, refurbish, and fly the stages again quickly. Faster reuse could support more frequent launches. SpaceX believes it could also make large exploration goals, including Mars settlement, more affordable. That is the company's expectation. It is not a result proven by this test.
What is confirmed
Starship has completed 14 test flights. SpaceX has caught Super Heavy with the tower arms three times. It has never tried to catch Ship. Ship is a harder target. It travels higher, farther, and faster than the booster.
Flight 14 showed progress in another way. On Sept. 28, Ship reached orbit for the first time. It also deployed 26 Starlink Version 3 satellites. The next test would add a new challenge: recovering the upper stage.
What remains unknown
The announcement describes a plan, not a completed recovery. The exact date remains unknown. The result also remains unknown. We do not know whether both catches will work during the same mission. We also do not know how quickly recovered stages could return to flight.
What to watch next
The main signs will be the Flight 15 schedule and the test result. Watch whether Super Heavy and Ship both return to the tower. Musk said more Starship flights would continue through the end of this year if needed. He also expects testing to accelerate next year.
The important distinction is simple. SpaceX has announced an attempt. It has not announced a successful double catch. The next flight will show how close Starship is to fast, repeated reuse.
A giant rocket will try to catch both parts
📰 Full story: SpaceX plans a two-stage Starship catch on one flight
SpaceX, a rocket company, will test a new way to recover Starship, its very large rocket.
Starship（STAR-ship）
SpaceX's very large rocket.
chopsticks（CHOP-stiks）
Mechanical tower arms that try to catch returning vehicles.
Ship（ship）
The upper spacecraft part of Starship.
💡 The gist
- SpaceX will test a new way to recover Starship.
- It will try to catch both rocket parts on one flight.
- The plan is exciting, but success is not certain.
SpaceX is a company that builds rockets. Starship is its very large rocket. Its next test is expected next month. It will be Flight 15. The exact date is not set.
Starship has two main parts. Super Heavy is the lower booster. It pushes the rocket upward during launch. Ship is the upper spacecraft. Both parts are designed to fly again.
After launch, each part will guide itself back. The destination is the launch tower. Mechanical arms on the tower will try to catch them. SpaceX calls these arms chopsticks.
Why does this matter? A recovered part can be checked and repaired. It can then fly again. This could help SpaceX prepare flights faster. SpaceX also says the plan could support big goals. One example is a future Mars settlement. That is a company goal. The test has not proved it.
SpaceX has flown Starship 14 times. It has caught Super Heavy three times. It has never caught Ship. Ship travels higher, farther, and faster. That makes the upper part harder to catch.
Flight 14 still showed progress. On Sept. 28, Ship reached orbit for the first time. It also deployed 26 Starlink Version 3 satellites. The next test would try something new. It would try to recover both parts.
Many details are still open. The launch date is unknown. The double catch has not happened. We do not know whether both catches will work. We also do not know how fast the parts could fly again.
Elon Musk, SpaceX's founder and chief executive, said more tests could continue through the end of this year. He expects faster testing next year. So the news is a plan, not a finished success. The next flight will provide the answer.
Can a tower catch a big rocket?
📰 Full story: SpaceX plans a two-stage Starship catch on one flight
SpaceX, a rocket company, wants a tower to catch Starship, its big rocket.
SpaceX（space-ex）
A company that makes rockets.
Starship（STAR-ship）
A very big rocket made by SpaceX.
SpaceX makes rockets. Starship is a very big rocket. It has two big parts. One part is at the bottom. One part is at the top. Both parts will fly up. Both parts should come back. A tall tower has moving arms. The arms will try to catch them. SpaceX caught the bottom part before. It has not caught the top part yet. The top part flies higher. It flies farther. It also flies faster. So it is harder to catch. The next flight is planned for next month. The exact day is not known. The catch may work. The catch may not work. If it works, the parts can fly again. This is still only a plan. We must wait for the flight.