Starship Readies Flights 15, 16 as Ship 40 Returns
Starship Flight 15 Targets November as Ship 40 Comes Home
SpaceX is advancing toward its next two Starship missions as the company looks to close out 2026. Flight 15 is targeting November, with the goal of catching both the booster and the Ship. Flight 16 is currently aimed for December and could become the first Starship launch from Launch Complex 39A.
According to the latest CADENA slide update, Flight 15’s current No Earlier Than (NET) date is November 8. Meeting that timeline requires both the booster and Ship to complete a static fire test. Ship 42 was nearing its trip to Massey’s for that test when its engines were removed. The vehicle instead made a short additional trip to the test site for a cryoproof.
The engine removal may be connected to the Raptor Vacuum (RVac) shutdown observed during Flight 14. Elon Musk addressed the issue, describing it as a software failure isolated to the engine computer on that specific unit. In an interview, he called it a “glitch” that is not a major concern and should be straightforward to resolve. Because the sea-level Raptors did not show the same software problem, SpaceX proceeded with the orbital attempt.
Booster 22 is believed to have all of its engines installed and is awaiting transport to Pad 2 for its own pre-launch static fire. Source information indicates the move could occur within days.
Meanwhile, Ship 40 — the Starship second stage from Integrated Flight Test-13 — is back at Starbase after surprisingly surviving splashdown in the Indian Ocean on July 25. In every other case, the Ship tips over and explodes after reaching the water, but this time it remained intact. SpaceX posted a video, Holy Grail of Rocketry, showing the effort to wrangle it to Christmas Island over 26 days. Ship 40 was lifted vertical inside Megabay 2 by October 12. SpaceX said “it will provide first-of-its-kind data on a flown Starship heatshield, Raptor engines, avionics, and more.”
Booster 23 rolled out to Massey’s test site on October 13 for initial cryogenic proof testing, and underwent cryogenic proof testing on October 15. At Massey’s, S43.1’s nosecone tip appears slightly crumpled during testing; it is currently unclear when this occurred or how it will affect remaining tests on the test tank.
The resulting cadence would produce only five Starship launches in 2026, related to the transition between Block 2 and Block 3 vehicles. SpaceX continues to project hundreds of launches per year from Starbase alone in the longer term. The FAA is opening a public comment period on SpaceX’s request for up to 456 annual launches and up to 912 annual landings at Starbase, per a new Notice of Intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.
Massey’s, Megabays and the Gigabay Crane Keep Busy
Starbase’s ground operations included work at Massey’s test site and the Megabays last week. Ship 40 joined future flight vehicles inside Megabay 2 after its return from the Indian Ocean. Booster 22 awaits its move to Pad 2 for a static fire, while Booster 23 underwent cryogenic proof testing at Massey’s.
At the Gigabay, a USA flag was installed on the bridge crane. The FAA’s Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Starbase covers Phase 1 (up to 100 launches per year) and Phase 2 (up to 456 launches and 912 landings per year). Phase 2 would add one restriction absent from Phase 1: no weekend launches.
Beyond Starbase, SpaceX is close to activating a second Starship launch site at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Another site at the adjacent Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is under construction, and Musk recently announced plans to build another set of launch pads in Louisiana.
CRS-35 Launches Cargo, Final ROSAs for the Station
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched the 35th Commercial Resupply Services mission (CRS-35) on October 13 at 6:33 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. Fewer than 7.5 minutes after leaving the pad, booster B1096 wrapped up its eighth trip to space with a landing at Landing Zone 40.
Cargo Dragon C211 carried more than 6,300 pounds of science and supplies to the station, including the fourth and final pair of Roll-Out Solar Arrays built by Redwire Space. Each array is capable of providing more than 20 kW of power for more than 10 years. The Dragon was scheduled to dock to the space-facing port of the Harmony module on Thursday, October 15.
From Vandenberg Space Force Base on October 12, Falcon 9 launched the Starlink 15-25 mission at 5:28 p.m. PDT, carrying 27 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites targeted for a 266-kilometre orbit. Booster B1088 flew for a 20th time, landing on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You.
SpaceX also launched USSF-481 from SLC-4E in California on October 15. The Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission, carrying 32 payloads including SpaceX’s Starfall reentry capsule, was scrubbed on October 19 due to poor weather in the booster recovery zone. Teams are now targeting Tuesday, October 20, for the launch from SLC-40. Booster B1085 would fly for a 19th time if the attempt succeeds.
Starlink Expands to Curaçao; SpaceX Q3 Earnings Due
Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in Curaçao, the company announced on October 14. Separately, Starlink said it has worked with regulators, industry and operators in India for more than five years and built a network of dedicated systems, gateways and infrastructure all in-country. “Starlink is ready to connect India with high-speed internet,” the company stated.
On the aviation front, Musk announced that Southwest Airlines is going all-in with Starlink. He also revealed that the Star Mind computer is being co-engineered by SpaceX and Nvidia, calling it “far better than almost anyone expects” with volume production planned for next year.
SpaceX will post its Q3 2026 financial and operational results on October 20, with a live audio-only webcast at 3:30 p.m. CT the same day. The company’s Q&A platform for investors is now open.
Citations
- SpaceX working through Starship Flight 15 and 16 milestones — nasaspaceflight.com
- Ship 40 Back At Starbase After Surprise Reentry Survival — spacepolicyonline.com
- Live coverage: SpaceX to launch Starfall reentry capsule, 31 customer payloads on Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission — spaceflightnow.com
- SpaceX launches NASA science and cargo to the International Space Station — spaceflightnow.com
- SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to launch 27 Starlink satellites into orbit from California — spaceflightnow.com
- SpaceX — Official SpaceX X account — x.com
- Starship Gazer — Dedicated Starship/Starbase photographer — x.com
- Elon Musk — SpaceX CEO and founder — x.com
- NASA Spaceflight — Independent aerospace news outlet — x.com
- Starlink — Official Starlink X account — x.com
Flight 15
Provider: SpaceX
Date: December 31, 2026
Time: 12:00 AM UTC
Vehicle: Starship
15th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle and 4th flight of Starship V3.
Griffin Mission One
Provider: SpaceX
Date: December 31, 2026
Time: 12:00 AM UTC
Vehicle: Falcon Heavy
Demonstration flight of the Astrobotic Griffin lander and its engines, initially contracted for the cancelled NASA VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) mission. The vacated payload spot will now host the FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform) lunar rover from Astrolab.
USSF-75
Provider: SpaceX
Date: December 31, 2026
Time: 12:00 AM UTC
Vehicle: Falcon Heavy
Classified payload for the United States Space Force
SpaceX HLS LEO Demo
Provider: SpaceX
Date: June 30, 2027
Time: 12:00 AM UTC
Vehicle: Starship
The Starship HLS pathfinder spacecraft in support of NASA’s Artemis III mission in Low Earth Orbit will be a Version 3 vehicle equipped with a docking mechanism, but with no crew cabin or environmental control systems on board. This Starship HLS will launch after the Artemis III Orion has launched into LEO aboard SLS, and has completed its demonstrations with Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander. Once docked, Orion and Starship will spend about a day connected for checkouts and testing.
NROL-86
Provider: SpaceX
Date: June 30, 2027
Time: 12:00 AM UTC
Vehicle: Falcon Heavy
Classified payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office
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