SpaceX launched its 15th Starship flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on Friday attempting a milestone double-catch maneuver that was thwarted when the Super Heavy booster experienced an engine problem and was diverted.
The massive 124-meter (407-foot-tall) rocket lifted off at 5:47 p.m. ET, powered by 33 methane-burning Raptor engines. While the flight successfully delivered 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites to low Earth orbit, the lower-stage booster failed to return to the launch tower’s mechanical arms as planned.
Flight controllers ordered a diversion just over six minutes after liftoff, sending the Super Heavy booster into an offshore splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico where it burst into flames. SpaceX’s Dan Huot addressed the setback during the mission broadcast.
“Not sure right now why we weren’t able to bring it back,” Huot said.
Offshore divert for the booster. No Super Heavy catch back at Starbase.
Despite the booster’s explosive end, the upper stage continued its ascent and reached orbit at 6:13 p.m. ET, marking only the second time a Starship has successfully achieved orbit. The spacecraft deployed its payload of 26 Starlink satellites and prepared for a 22-hour mission spanning 14 orbits before attempting a return to the launch site.
Developing a fully reusable launch system remains central to SpaceX‘s financial and operational strategy. In the third quarter, the company brought in $14.6 billion in revenue, with the Space segment accounting for $1.8 billion of that total.
Live views of Starship in orbit brought to you by @Starlink pic.twitter.com/7RW3I1LG2e
NASA is also closely watching the program’s progress as it counts on a variant of Starship to serve as a lunar lander for the Artemis program. While the landing system is not required for the Artemis III mission, The New York Times said that ongoing technical challenges could complicate the goal of landing astronauts on the moon by 2028.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued the launch license just hours prior to liftoff.
Starship is now in a long coast phase around Earth. Teams will monitor Starship’s systems over the next ~21 hours that we intend to be in orbit for. We do have a few early deorbit options available should we need them, but all systems are looking good right now
During a mission stream, a SpaceX spokesperson explained the company’s testing philosophy by stating that safety is always the primary priority, adding that the team was testing previously untried maneuvers to ensure each step is performed safely.
Elon Musk previously characterized a successful double capture as a profound technological milestone that would represent the first time an orbital launch vehicle is fully recovered. The company considers the capability essential for changing the economics of spaceflight and achieving rapid reusability.
“Because Dragon has become such a successful and reliable vehicle, it became the de facto way for astronauts to get to orbit,” Caleb Henry, research director at industry tracking firm Quilty Space, said. Meanwhile, SpaceX has communicated plans to eventually wind down Falcon 9 operations as Starship launches ramp up.
Visitors from various regions, including North Carolina and Connecticut, traveled to Texas to witness the launch firsthand. Among them, spectator Randall Folsom expressed awe at the spectacle.
“It’s just stunning to me,” Folsom said.
Additional infrastructure preparations are currently underway elsewhere, with SpaceX finalizing Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center and constructing two launch pads at Launch Complex 37 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Earlier coverage: SpaceX Starship Flight 15 Booster Malfunction Prevents Double Catch
