SpaceX to attempt Starship catch on next flight, with eye on rapid cadence increase

According to Ars Technica, SpaceX plans to attempt catching both the Super Heavy first stage and the Starship upper stage during its 15th test flight, targeted for November, after gathering sufficient data from the 14th flight. Company officials said success is more likely than not, and the firm is hardware rich if failures occur. The Federal Aviation Administration license must approve return to the launch site over land, including northern Mexico, and SpaceX expects the license to include tower catch for both stages.

After Flight 15, SpaceX intends to refly a Starship upper stage early next year and complete a long‑delayed Starship‑to‑Starship refueling demonstration early in 2027. That test will provide data on transfer efficiency and propellant boil‑off rates, which are needed to determine how many launches are required to support a lunar landing for NASA’s Artemis program. Musk said he expects a weekly flight cadence in the first half of 2027 and twice‑weekly launches in the second half, contingent on achieving rapid, complete reusability. The company will focus on its own payloads next year, including Starlink V3 satellites, direct‑to‑cell satellites, and Starmind data‑center prototypes.

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SpaceX to attempt Starship catch on next flight, with eye on rapid cadence increase — Ars Technica