SpaceX Launches Starship Flight 15 in First Two-Stage Recovery Attempt

SpaceX launched Starship’s 15th test flight from Starbase, Texas, Friday, beginning its first attempt to bring the Super Heavy booster and upper-stage spacecraft back during a single mission.

SpaceX abandoned the planned booster catch during the flight and diverted the booster to an ocean splashdown. SpaceX has caught the Super Heavy booster before but had not previously tried to recover the spacecraft on the same flight.

The launch followed SpaceX’s earlier Friday launch target for the dual-stage recovery attempt. The mission is also intended to release 26 Starlink v3 satellites, matching the number deployed on Flight 14.

Starship is part of the company’s plans to expand Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service and current profit center. The constellation already includes more than 11,000 active satellites in low Earth orbit. A Starship can carry up to 60 Starlink v3 satellites, about 20 times the capacity of earlier Falcon 9 rockets. The vehicle also supports SpaceX’s longer-term ambition to carry cargo and people to the Moon and Mars.