SpaceX targets dual-stage Starship catch in November test flight

SpaceX plans to try catching both stages of its Starship rocket at the launch site during its next test flight, targeted for November. The company says the attempt could advance rocket reuse, which it sees as essential to increasing launch frequency and supporting future data services in space.

President Gwynne Shotwell said SpaceX expects the flight’s licence to cover returns to the site and tower catches, following discussions with the FAA. The company aims to attempt an upper-stage reuse and an orbital refuelling demonstration early in 2027, while Elon Musk predicts weekly Starship flights in the first half of that year and twice-weekly flights in the second. Those targets depend on achieving rapid, reliable reusability, which has not yet been demonstrated with an orbital rocket.