SpaceX has started launch pad preparations at Starbase in Texas to attempt to catch both Starship and Super Heavy during Flight 15.
The test flight, which pairs the Ship 42 spacecraft with Booster 22, is scheduled for no earlier than November 8, 2026.
Among the stated objectives for the mission is the company's first attempt to catch both rocket stages with the launch tower after flight.
Ship 42 is currently moving toward the launch table to prepare for a static fire test of its Raptor engines. The test represents one of the major stages of vehicle preparation for Flight 15.
During a static fire test, engineers ignite the engines for several seconds while the vehicle remains held down on the pad, verifying that propellant systems and engine electronics perform properly before launch.
Tower catch testing
In parallel with the pad work, Ship 43 has been suspended on the Mechzilla tower as SpaceX practices capture procedures using mechanical arms known as chopsticks. These training exercises are intended to refine the technology needed to return and reuse Starship stages.
Starbase, located at Boca Chica in South Texas, serves as the main research, manufacturing, and launch site for SpaceX's deep-space transportation system.
Reusable launch architecture
Starship consists of two parts: the stainless steel upper spacecraft and the Super Heavy booster, which launches the vehicle from Earth. The private aerospace firm aims to make both stages rapidly reusable to lower launch costs and enable flights to the Moon and Mars.
Rather than using heavy landing legs or discarding hardware into the ocean, both stages are designed to return to the pad. The large robotic arms on the Mechzilla tower catch the descending vehicles out of the air as they hover near the structure.
Preparations continue at Starbase as ground teams ready Ship 42 for its engine test ahead of the scheduled November 8 date.
