SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) is all set to rewrite history once again. At the UP.Summit, the space launch company’s VP of Launch, Kiko Dontchev, revealed that Flight 15 Starship launch is targeted no earlier than (NET) Friday, November 13.
It’s been about 10 days since SpaceX completed its Flight 15 pre-launch testing at Starbase, Texas. This included critical static fire tests and simulations.
Just a few minutes ago, as of this writing, SpaceX has officially confirmed via X that the NET Starship Flight 15 launch date is Friday, November 13.
Like Flight 14, SpaceX is still waiting for the final approval from the regulatory authorities (the FAA) to issue a launch license. The date can change if the regulatory approval isn’t issued on time.
The latest NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) advisory dates around Starbase, Boca Chica, Texas, also confirm that the Flight 15 NET date is November 13.
NOTAMs have also been issued for November 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19. The additional dates give SpaceX backup launch windows for Starship’s 15th Flight if the FAA license is delayed or technical or weather issues force a scrub.
Starship Double-Catch Landing
Starship’s 15th launch mission has the most unique and technically challenging objective—catching both the Super Heavy booster (1st/lower stage) and the upper-stage spacecraft (aka the double-catch).
If SpaceX achieves this objective, Flight 15 will be the company’s most important achievement to date. This is why it’s the most important Starship launch yet.
Catching the upper stage Starship spacecraft with the Starbase launch tower Chopstick arms was planned for Flight 14. However, in favor of the orbital launch, SpaceX dropped this from the Flight 14 milestones.
Musk’s SpaceX Q3 2026 announcement has made the upcoming Flight 15 launch-and-landing test (IFT-15) even more interesting, as the launch tower will catch both vehicles (Super Heavy Booster 22 and Starship 42)
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk showed an animated simulation of an upper-stage Starship on the Q3 2026 live earnings video call (watch recording below). However, the simulation did not show the Super Heavy booster catch.
It leaves open the question of whether SpaceX will re-stack Starship on top of the Super Heavy booster after the catch. Because the first/lower stage booster returns to the launch site or designated splashdown location, and the upper stage lands later.
Brief History of Starship Booster Catches at Starbase, Texas
Because Starship is designed for rapid reusability, the original plan was to catch both stages with the launch tower arms (aka the Chopsticks). Landing legs hinder reusability in multiple ways.
SpaceX caught a Super Heavy booster using the Chopsticks for the first time during the Flight 5 Starship test on October 13, 2024. This was a historic achievement. The booster landed precisely, and the Chopsticks caught it perfectly. Musk even shared the booster’s state after the catch.
After Flight 5, Musk said that SpaceX would catch the Starship upper stage in the Flight 6 test. However, SpaceX never attempted the ship catch.
Because of a smooth splashdown landing in the Indian Ocean, Flight 13 has since become a pre-qualification test for attempting a catch in the next flight.
SpaceX had to abort the catch of the Super Heavy booster in Flight 6 because of technical reasons. However, SpaceX successfully caught the booster in Flight 7 and Flight 8 tests.
Here’s a list of successful Starship booster catches at Starbase, Texas:
- Flight 5 (October 13, 2024) — Booster 12 (B12):
First-ever successful catch, on the first attempt, at OLP-1. - Flight 7 (January 16, 2025) — Booster 14 (B14-1, first flight):
Successful catch at OLP-1. - Flight 8 (March 6, 2025) — Booster 15 (B15-1):
Successful catch at OLP-1 (despite some engine issues on boostback).
Stay tuned for Flight 15 video live streams and live updates on TeslaOracle.com.
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Related Starship News
- Flight 15 Starship double-catch to happen NET Friday the 13th (confirmed)
- SpaceX completes Flight 15 pre-launch static fires and simulations on Starship 42 and Super Heavy (videos)
- Flight 15 catch, Starlink V3, SI ($1T revenue): Key takeaways from Elon Musk’s SpaceX (SPCX) Q3 2026 Earnings Call
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- Starship 40 joins three other ships inside SpaceX’s Megabay at Starbase, it’s time for some serious data collection
- Flight 13 Starship 40 returns home to Starbase, Texas, after months at sea
 confirms the Flight 15 Starship launch and landing-catch (IFT-15) NET date as Friday, November 13. The first Starship double-catch (ship and booster). Go For Orbit documentary, more.){kind=link}