SpaceX to attempt first Starship spacecraft recovery on land in 15th flight

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (Nov 13) - SpaceX is set to launch its 15th Starship rocket on Friday, marking a significant test for the spacecraft's ability to be recovered on land instead of being discarded in the ocean. The 407-foot-tall Starship is scheduled to take off at 4:45 p.m. CT from SpaceX's Starbase launch facilities in South Texas, carrying a batch of operational Starlink satellites.

This mission, which is both a business venture for the satellite connectivity service and a crucial test for the still-developing rocket, could potentially lead to weekly launches by the first half of 2027. The upper stage of the rocket, expected to return 22 hours after launch, would be the first to make a successful landing on land, potentially marking a breakthrough moment for SpaceX's ambition to create a fully reusable rocket system.