Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
STARBASE, Texas – November 11, 2026 – SpaceX is targeting a launch window opening as early as Friday, November 13, at 4:45 p.m. CST (22:45 UTC) for the 15th flight test of Starship from Orbital Launch Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. Flight 15 represents the most ambitious integrated flight test to date, designed to demonstrate the fully reusable operational architecture of the Starship launch stack.
Mission Profile & Primary Objectives
Flight 15 will utilize the Block 3 vehicle configuration, pairing Super Heavy Booster 22 with Ship 42. Building upon the successful orbital insertion achieved on Flight 14, this mission is engineered to push vehicle envelope capabilities, deploy operational commercial payloads, and perform groundbreaking recovery tests.
Key test objectives include:
- Commercial Payload Deployment: Operational deployment of 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites into low Earth orbit.
- Booster Catch Recovery: Following stage separation at approximately T+02:21, Super Heavy Booster 22 will execute a return-to-launch-site boostback burn. At T+06:35, the booster will attempt to land directly at Orbital Launch Pad 2, caught in mid-air by the mechanical arms (“chopsticks”) of the Mechazilla launch tower.
- Orbital Re-entry & Ship Catch: Ship 42 will conduct a multi-orbit mission (~14 orbits over 22 hours) at an altitude of approximately 275 km to test long-duration orbital thermal protection, including upgraded curved heatshield tile configurations. Following a precision deorbit burn, Ship 42 will re-enter the atmosphere and attempt the first-ever mechanical tower catch of a Starship upper stage at Starbase.
Targeted Launch Schedule
| Event | Target Time (Local CST) | Target Time (UTC) |
| Live Webcast Begins | 4:15 p.m. CST | 22:15 UTC |
| Launch Window Opens | 4:45 p.m. CST | 22:45 UTC |
| Booster Catch Attempt | ~4:51 p.m. CST | ~22:51 UTC |
| Ship Deorbit & Catch | ~3:17 p.m. CST (Nov 14) | ~21:17 UTC (Nov 14) |
Note: Launch timing is subject to real-time weather assessments, range clearance, and regulatory sign-offs.
Live Coverage Information
A live webcast of the Starship Flight 15 mission will begin approximately 30 minutes prior to liftoff. The broadcast will be accessible via:
