# SpaceX will try historic 'chopsticks' catch of Starship upper stage today: Watch it live

Source: [Latest from Space.com](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-chopsticks-catch-starship-upper-stage-flight-14) · 2026-11-14 · Space
Page: https://themorning.science/story/spacex-will-try-historic-chopsticks-catch-of-starship-upper-stage-today-watch-it-84e4a59999599c0e
Kind: launch · Impact: medium

## In brief

- SpaceX launched Starship on its 15th test flight from Starbase in South Texas on Friday, November 13, 2026.
- The booster fell into the Gulf of Mexico and exploded during an attempt to catch it at the launch pad, so the planned double catch did not happen.
- The Starship upper stage reached orbit and was reported as healthy, with a planned return to the Texas launch site on Saturday for a first-ever attempt to catch it with the chopsticks arms.

## Why it matters

The flight tests whether Starship can be recovered and reused, which matters for the cost and cadence of heavy-lift launches. The booster loss shows the catch system is not yet reliable.

## Versions

- Starship Flight 15

## Timeline

- 2026-11-13: Starship Flight 15 launches from Starbase, South Texas
- 2026-11-13: Booster falls into the Gulf of Mexico and explodes during the attempted catch
- 2026-11-13: Starship upper stage reaches orbit
- 2026-11-15: Planned return of the upper stage to the Texas launch site for a catch attempt

## Coverage

- [SpaceX will try historic 'chopsticks' catch of Starship upper stage today: Watch it live](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-chopsticks-catch-starship-upper-stage-flight-14) — Latest from Space.com, 2026-11-14
- [SpaceX's Starship set for return to Earth after booster catch aborted](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-spacex-starship-earth-booster-aborted.html) — Space News - Space, Astronomy, Space Exploration, 2026-11-14
- [SpaceX's Starship soars into orbit after booster explosion prevents an unprecedented double catch](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-spacex-starship-soars-orbit-booster.html) — Space News - Space, Astronomy, Space Exploration, 2026-11-14

Tags: starship, spacex, reusable-rockets, orbital-launch, booster-recovery

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