SpaceX Diverts Starship Booster After Launch Malfunction
SpaceX launched its 15th Starship test flight, diverting the Super Heavy booster into the Gulf of Mexico after a malfunction triggered an automatic abort.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. launched its 15th Starship test flight from the Starbase facility in Texas on November 14, 2026. The mission sought to achieve a double catch by recovering both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft using mechanical arms at the launch tower.
An unspecified malfunction occurred shortly after stage separation, triggering an automatic abort that forced controllers to divert the booster into the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the loss of the booster, the spacecraft continued its trajectory to orbit and successfully deployed 26 advanced Starlink satellites.
The mission is scheduled to conclude Saturday afternoon with the first attempt to capture the spacecraft at the launch pad after it completes 15 orbits of Earth. This test is critical for the company's goal of full reusability to support future Moon and Mars expeditions, including the NASA Artemis program. Kiko Dontchev noted that while Falcon rockets are not fully reusable, the goal for Starship is to catch both the first and second stages.
