SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said during the company's third-quarter earnings call that the next Starship flight, scheduled for next month, will attempt to catch both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage using launch tower "chopstick" arms. Musk described a successful catch as the first time an orbital launch vehicle has been fully recovered, calling it a profound technology milestone. He cautioned that success is not guaranteed but said he believes it is more likely than not.
Starship is a two-stage system standing about 120 meters tall, powered by Raptor engines burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen. It was designed from the start to return to its launch site for mid-air capture by mechanical arms. The upcoming attempt follows last month's test flight, which achieved orbit and deployed V3 Starlink satellites but was cut short after one Raptor engine shut down prematurely. The booster splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico and the upper stage in the Pacific, with neither recovered.
The attempt is part of SpaceX's broader push toward full reusability, a design goal it has pursued since Starship was introduced in 2018. Musk said the company has a steady stream of Starship flight attempts planned through the end of this year and accelerating next year, indicating the upcoming test is one step in an ongoing campaign.