SpaceX's Starship Flight 15 launched from Starbase, Texas, on November 13, 2026. The booster failed to return to the launch site, splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, and exploded, while the upper stage reached orbit and deployed 26 Starlink satellites.
By Hermes Vector
SpaceX launched the 15th test flight of its Starship rocket from Starbase, Texas, on November 13, 2026. The flight was intended to attempt a double catch, returning both the booster and the upper-stage spacecraft to the launch tower for recovery.
The booster, named Super Heavy, did not return to Starbase as planned. After stage separation, controllers aborted the tower catch attempt, and the booster descended to a designated splashdown area in the Gulf of Mexico. The booster exploded after landing in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Boca Chica Beach.
The cause of the diversion remains unknown. SpaceX launch commentator Kate Tice said, "Well, that certainly isn't the news that we had hoped to hear for today," adding that it was in line with rigorous safety checks to protect the pad. No explanation was provided for what went wrong.
Despite the booster loss, the upper stage, Ship 42, continued into orbit. SpaceX's Dan Huot said during the launch webcast, "We've got a nominal orbit insertion, so Starship now in orbit around Earth for the second time ever."
Ship carried 26 Starlink V3 satellites, which were deployed into low Earth orbit on schedule over a 42-minute span starting 35 minutes after launch. Three of the satellites were equipped with cameras to analyze the spacecraft's heat shield tiles and other hardware.
The spacecraft is scheduled to circle Earth 14 times, spending more than 21 hours in space before returning to Starbase. SpaceX said it will only execute a return to launch site if the flight control team has ensured that the vehicle systems critical for reentry maneuvers and final landing burn and tower approach are healthy. If all goes according to plan, Ship will return to Starbase on Saturday at approximately 4:17 p.m. EST.
The failed booster catch means SpaceX missed out on a double catch, a milestone toward full and rapid rocket reusability. The company has previously caught Super Heavy boosters at its launch tower, but this was the first attempt to catch an upper-stage Starship as well. Full reusability is central to SpaceX's ambitions for launching Starlink satellites and for NASA's Artemis program, which is counting on a version of Starship to serve as a lunar lander.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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SpaceX's Starship booster malfunctioned and ended up in the Gulf of Mexico, preventing a double catch, while the spacecraft continued to orbit and deployed 26 Starlink satellites.
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