Starship Super Heavy launch on Saturday: How SpaceX plans to catch megarocket

SpaceX is preparing to launch its giant Starship rocket on Saturday morning, November 14, in a test flight that could mark a major milestone in the company's efforts to make space travel more affordable and reusable.The mission will attempt something never achieved before—bringing both stages of an orbital rocket back to the launch site to be caught by a pair of giant mechanical arms.The 75-minute launch window is scheduled to open at 4:15 am IST from SpaceX's Starbase facility in Texas, United States, and close at 5:30 am. The timing remains subject to regulatory approval and could change.SpaceX's live coverage is expected to begin around 30 minutes before liftoff. An image of both the stages of Starship sitting on the launch pad ahead of Flight 15. (Photo: SpaceX) WHY STARSHIP FLIGHT 15 COULD MAKE HISTORYStarship consists of two parts. The first is the Super Heavy booster, which powers the initial journey into space, and then there's the upper-stage spacecraft, called Ship.Both these parts together make up the megarocket and are designed to be reused. After separating, the Super Heavy booster is expected to turn around and return to the launch site to be caught by the tower's mechanical arms, nicknamed chopsticks.This could happen about six and a half minutes after liftoff. People gather to watch as SpaceX's mega rocket Starship, getting stacked and prepared for Flight 15. (Photo: AP) Ship, meanwhile, is expected to reach an altitude of around 275 kilometres and complete approximately 14 orbits of Earth during a flight lasting more than 22 hours. It will also deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites before attempting its own return and catch.SpaceX has caught Super Heavy boosters on three previous occasions, but has never attempted to catch the upper-stage Ship.If both recoveries succeed, the company said that it would mark the first full recovery of an orbital launch system.The attempt will be called off if the spacecraft does not meet the required safety checks. An image of Ship 42 being tested during Starship Flight 15. (Photo: SpaceX) A BRIEF FLIGHT OVER INDIAThe extended orbital journey will also take Starship over parts of India multiple times, although this will not happen immediately after liftoff.Once Starship reaches orbit, it will circle Earth while the planet rotates beneath it, bringing the spacecraft's flight path across different regions, including parts of India.At an altitude of around 275 kilometres, it will be travelling in low Earth orbit, not flying through the atmosphere like an aircraft.Its passage could offer skywatchers a chance to spot it, depending on the timing, visibility and local conditions.Starship is preparing for catch Flight 15 is targeting to launch as early as Friday, November 13, pending regulatory approval https://t.co/K5XRci6bnw https://t.co/WS2xGLjVsx— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 7, 2026BUILDING ON PREVIOUS FLIGHTSFlight 15 follows Flight 14 that lifted off on September 28 earlier this year, when Starship completed its first orbital flight and successfully deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites.However, the booster splashed down in the Gulf of America, while Ship returned to the Pacific Ocean.This time, SpaceX is attempting to bring both stages back to Starbase.The test will provide important data on whether the rocket can be recovered and reused, a capability central to the company's plans for future Moon and Mars missions.- Ends