SpaceX Starship reaches orbit; booster lost at sea
SpaceX launched its 15th Starship test flight from Starbase in southern Texas on Friday, 13 Nov, and the upper stage reached orbit. The 124-metre vehicle was meant to have its Super Heavy booster caught by launch-pad arms, but an abort sent the booster into the Gulf of Mexico, where it exploded or self-destructed before reaching the water. SpaceX said the spacecraft and its heat shield were healthy seven hours after launch. The spacecraft released 26 Starlink satellites and is due back at the launch tower on Saturday, 14 Nov, after about 14 orbits.
Key facts
- The flight was planned to last up to 22 hours before the spacecraft returns.
- SpaceX had previously caught the booster three times before this flight.
- This was the second flight to deliver operational Starlink satellites to orbit.
Summarised with AI from 5 sources · Updated 17:11Read our AI policy
Why it matters
Recovering both stages intact would be a step toward fully reusable heavy-lift rockets.
What changed
Summary updated
NPR joined as a source
First published from Engadget, Bangkok Post, Space.com, Phys.org and Asharq Al-Awsat