SpaceX's next Starship flight could mark historic catch attempt
SpaceX is getting ready to try catching the upper stage of its Starship rocket for the first time, aiming for flights 13 through 15.
CEO Elon Musk shared this plan after Starship's 10th flight on August 26, 2025, which saw payloads ejected into space for the first time and a smooth booster landing.
The catch will use Mechazilla, SpaceX's massive launch platform
The ambitious catch will use Mechazilla, SpaceX's towering launch structure in Texas with huge robotic arms built to grab falling rockets.
This approach skips heavy landing legs and makes future launches simpler.
So far, Super Heavy boosters have been caught three times—but catching Starship itself is still uncharted territory.
Flights 11 and 12 need to go smoothly 1st
Flights 11 and 12 need to go smoothly before the big catch attempt can happen between flights 13 and 15 (possibly into early 2026).
The recent test proved key systems work well, but now all eyes are on whether SpaceX can pull off this next-level move.
Major leap toward fully reusable rockets
If SpaceX pulls this off, it'll be a major leap toward fully reusable rockets—cutting costs and making missions beyond Earth more doable.
It's another bold step in turning science fiction into reality.