SpaceX Attempts Starship Test Flight... Fails to Recover Both Stages

"The first-stage booster fell and exploded after launch"

On Nov. 13 (local time), SpaceX failed in its first-ever attempt at what is known as a “double catch,” recovering both stages of its Starship launch vehicle after a test flight.

According to the Associated Press and other media outlets, SpaceX conducted its 15th Starship test flight at 5:47 p.m. Eastern Time on Nov. 13 from its launch site at Starbase in Texas. During the flight, SpaceX made its first attempt to recover both the first-stage booster and the second-stage upper section in a double catch.

Reuters-Yonhap News

However, the first-stage booster fell into the Gulf of Mexico and exploded after launch, preventing SpaceX from setting a record for the world’s first dual recovery. The second stage, meanwhile, placed 26 Starlink satellites into orbit and is scheduled to return to Earth and attempt a landing after traveling for 22 hours.

SpaceX has recovered first-stage boosters that separate within the atmosphere, but it has never successfully recovered a second stage that it had launched into space. This was its first attempt.

If both stages can be recovered, it could lead to the creation of the world’s first fully reusable rocket, potentially cutting the cost of launching spacecraft significantly. In a video interview with investors last week, Elon Musk said, “When I first proposed this idea, most people thought I was crazy,” adding, “But from a physics perspective, there’s nothing preventing it.”

SpaceX uses its smaller Falcon rocket series for missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and Starlink satellite launches. Its ultimate goal is to replace them with Starship, a heavy-lift rocket. The company plans to launch Starship from Florida within the next several months and from Louisiana within the next few years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.